ASTA Questions Need For Certified ARC Specialists
<B> ASTA Questions Need For Certified ARC Specialists</B>
By Joe Galloway
In 1995 the carriers proposed that ARC initiate an agency certification program to reduce unreported sales, eliminate reporting errors, and increase compliance with ticket security rules. Since the Certified ARC Specialist program was conceived, substantial changes have taken place within the industry to cause us to question the cost benefit of such a program.
While ARC has not formally announced plans to impose the CAS requirement on existing agents, they have made it clear that this is the long-term objective. For today's agent who has worked hard to reengineer his business in an ever-changing environment where airline commissions have been reduced by up to 50 percent since the first cap in 1995, any increase in costs, especially those imposed by the airlines' collective organization, ARC, must be closely scrutinized.
Today the cost of CAS training ranges from $295 for the Internet-based training module to $495 for the training video, and the fee for the CAS test ranges from $95 to $125. The total cost of becoming certified, including test fees, training costs, travel expenses and lost productive time may total well over $1,000 per applicant. And it doesn't stop there. If the CAS qualifier quits, the agency is again exposed to these costs.
Ticket security was cited as another rationale for the CAS program. However, there has been a substantial reduction in stolen tickets since 1995, when ARC reported a loss of over 444,000 stolen tickets--an all time high. But, in 1998, that number was reported at just over 136,000. ARC attributes this sharp decline to more stringent ticket security rules, increased fraud prevention activities and educational agency initiatives. And, of course, the use of electronic tickets has reduced the exposure by reducing the number of accountable documents in use.
Again, while ASTA remains committed to increasing the integrity and professionalism of travel agents, ARC's CAS program does not pass ASTA's cost benefit test. Not only are the costs too high, but this program is based on needs established by the carriers in 1995--a year we should all put behind us.
<I>Joe Galloway is president and CEO of the American Society of Travel Agents in Alexandria, Va.