I.
OVERVIEW
American Airlines wishes to provide all
agencies access to full schedule, fare and inventory content through the distribution source
of their choice, on terms that allow American to compete with its low cost
rivals.
To achieve this end, American has negotiated
full content access deals with many distribution providers that offer new, cost-effective
products. These products are referred to as "Competitive Booking
Sources". Travel agencies that use Competitive Booking Sources to create
bookings will have access to full American content.
American recognizes that some travel agencies
or corporate travel departments may value the use of certain GDS providers that do not
qualify as Competitive Booking Sources. Accordingly, American currently intends to
preserve flexibility for these agencies and corporations by providing full content access
through other presently available providers, referred to as "Other Booking
Sources", although these sources are more expensive to American. In exchange
for the flexibility to choose Other Booking Sources, agencies that use these sources will be
required to bear a portion of the cost of content distribution via these sources.
Also, American, consistent with any applicable contractual obligations, may eventually
withhold content from Other Booking Sources, particularly if an Other Booking Source fails
to display American content on neutral terms as compared with other
airlines.
This document outlines the policies and
procedures of this initiative. Effective September 1, 2006, your agency's
continued sale of air transportation on American will evidence our mutual agreement that
this initiative constitutes a clarification of your responsibilities and duties under the
ARC Agent Reporting Agreement or additional terms and conditions, and will become
contractually binding starting September 1. These policies and procedures are subject
to change upon notice from American.
II.
ELIGIBLE
AGENCIES
The policies and procedures outlined in this
document apply to bookings originated by ARC-accredited agencies and outlets, including
corporations with a "CTD" designation, located within the 50 United States, with
respect to bookings originated in or via the United States.
III.
FEE
STRUCTURE
a.
Competitive Booking Sources.
American has negotiated
with various travel distribution systems to provide Competitive Booking Sources for
American, its travel agencies, and corporate accounts. These companies provide
cost-effective booking sources for American and, as a result, agencies and corporations will
not be assessed any new fees for segments booked using a Competitive Booking
Source.
b.
Other
Booking Sources.
Other Booking Sources charge American more to distribute content,
making them less efficient distributors for American and hurting American's ability to
compete. Therefore, agencies that choose to source content via these sources will be
required to pay a premium ("Source Premium") to compensate American for
costs charged by Other Booking Sources. The table below lists Competitive and Other
Booking Sources and their associated Source Premiums.
SEPTEMBER 2006 - April 30, 2008 BILLING
PERIODS
|
|
|
Source Premium per Net
Booked Segment |
|
Competitive Booking Sources |
Sabre Efficient Access Solution*
Worldspan Super
Access
Product*
Galileo Content Continuity
Program*
All G2 Switchworks
GDS Products*
All Farelogix GDS
Products*
Any Amadeus GDS Product
|
NONE |
|
Other |
|
|
|
Booking |
Any Other Sabre Product
|
$3.50 |
|
Sources |
Any Other Worldspan
Product |
$3.50 |
|
|
Any Other Galileo/Apollo
Program |
$3.50 |
* Please contact the GDS provider for more information about these products.
c.
Updates.
This table will be updated periodically as sources and rates change. Agencies
should monitor this web site (www.aa.com/agency)
to remain up to date.
d.
Effective
Date. The Source Premium will be applied to all Other Booking Source net
bookings originated or changed on or after September 1, 2006.
IV.
INVOICING
AND SETTLEMENT
a.
Invoicing.
i.
Eligible
Bookings.
For each Other Booking
Source, agencies will be invoiced based upon net booked segments created, including passive
segments, using the billing data provided to American by the GDS. For example, if an
agency uses an Other Booking Source to create a PNR for a single passenger to travel from
DFW-LAX-DFW, this booking counts as two gross flight segments. Then, if the agency
cancels the final
flight segment (LAX-DFW), the agency would be charged only for creating one net
booked segment.
ii.
Billing
Period. Billing
periods will begin on the first calendar day of the month and end on the last
calendar day of the month.
iii.
Process.
Source Premium Invoices will be sent to the agency's home office address within
30 days after the conclusion of the billing period. For example, the invoice
for September activity will be sent by the end of October.
b.
Settlement.
i.
Payment
Terms. Agencies will have
30 days from the date of invoice to pay their invoice.
ii.
Enforcement. If
payment is not received within 30 days from the date of invoice, American will deduct the
outstanding balance amount from any payments due from American to the agency.
American may also pursue other remedies. American reserves the right to assess
interest on past due amounts at a rate not to exceed one and one-half percent (1.5%) per
month, compounded monthly, or the maximum rate permitted by law, whichever is less, from the
date due to the date of the payment. If Other Booking Source charges remain
unresolved, American may (pursuant to the ARC Agent Reporting Agreement and the American
Airlines, Inc. Addendum to the ARC Agent Reporting Agreement), upon written notice to
agency, immediately terminate its appointment of any agency or agency location.
c.
Credits.
In accordance with Sections V and VI, credits may be issued only when it has been determined
that a billing error has occurred. Credit memos will be issued to agencies that may
be remitted to pay all or a portion of their next invoice.
V.
EXCEPTIONS
a.
Billing
Errors. Agencies that are billed for ineligible bookings will be entitled to
a credit for the Source Premium charges applied to those bookings.
b.
No other
exceptions. American will not offer any other exceptions.
VI.
AGENCY
SUPPORT
a.
Source
Premium Information Desk.
Invoices will include contact information for assistance with agency questions about Source
Premium policies, billing details, and potential billing errors. The Information Desk
will not be authorized to issue credits for any reason other than billing errors.
b.
Sales
Representatives.
Agencies are encouraged to contact their American Sales Representative for all other
questions or concerns.