Learning Outcome:
By completing this lesson, you will be able to:
- Name, locate and use BSP reference material
Introduction
This lesson will provide you with the tools to quickly locate information about the BSP procedures.
We will begin with the main manuals: the BSP Manual for Agents and the Travel Agent's Handbook.
This lesson will show you how to access these publications and other valuable reference material through the IATA website.
The Manuals
There are 2 main publications that describe the operations of BSP:
- The BSP Manual for Agents including Local Procedures/Information (Chapter 14)
- The Travel Agent's Handbook.
BSP Manual for Agents
The BSP Manual for Agents is part of the Passenger Sales Agency Agreement (PSAA), defining the basic rules and procedures for participation in a BSP.
Approved IATA Accredited Agent must adhere to the BSP procedures found within the manual in countries where a BSP is implemented.
The BSP Manual for Agents describes the standard procedures and working methods that are practiced in BSPs and which IATA Accredited Agents have to follow.
Agents are informed of local variations to procedures through their local BSP Management. This is done through an addition to the BSP Manual for Agents called "Local Procedures/Information" also referred to as Chapter 14.
Travel Agent's Handbook (TAH)
The Travel Agent's Handbook explains required accreditation criteria for IATA Accredited Agents as well as specifies the contract between Travel Agent and the IATA Member Airlines.
This Handbook includes rules and procedures for Travel Agents to follow to retain the IATA accreditation. It specifies industry practices as well as any regulatory standards Agents should be aware of.
Key Learning Points:
Study Check
The following descriptions refer to which manual?
Agenthome
IATA has created a website specifically for travel agents called "Agenthome".
This website provides a wealth of information of interest for IATA Accredited Agents, and aspiring travel agents including:
- The Passenger Agency Programme;
- How to become an IATA Accredited Agent
Additionally, Agenthome provides access to the most recent editions of these important publications:
- The Travel Agent's Handbook and
- The BSP Manual for Agents
- Passenger Agency Conference Resolutions.
- And much more.
We will look at the Agenthome website on the next page.
Locate Travel Agent's Handbook (TAH)
IATA Accredited Agents are notified when a new edition of the Travel Agent's Handbook is published by IATA and advised to download it from the Agenthome website.
Let's find the English TAH 818g for 2011 version of the handbook. Start by clicking on the link to the IATA Agenthome webpage www.iata.org/agenthome, then click "Continue".
Familiarize yourself with the IATA Agenthome page. You may scroll up and down to view the website in the bottom portion of your screen.
Now locate and click on "Travel Agent's Handbook" located on the left of the Agenthome webpage. Click "Continue".
Remember it is possible to save or print this document so you do not have to access the IATA website and follow the links every time you need to refer to this section of the Travel Agent's Handbook. To do so maximize the TAH window, then click on the "print" or "save" icons at the top of the pdf file.
Locate The BSP Manual for Agents
The BSP Manual for Agents is available from the same web page as the Travel Agent's Handbook.
Let's find the link to the most current BSP Manual for Agents. Start by clicking on the IATA Agenthome link below. Click "Continue".
Navigate to the page for Travel Agent's Handbooks by clicking on the "Travel Agent's Handbook" link to the left of the screen.
Once the page opens click "Continue".
The BSP Manual link is located towards the middle of the page. You may click on the link to the most current BSP Manual publication.
The file will open in a new window. You will need to either minimize or close that window to return to this page of the lesson.
Once you return to this page, click "Continue".
Chapter 14-Local Procedures/Information of the BSP Manual for Agents is specific to the various BSP countries. It is available to download or can be requested from the IATA Customer Service Portal (which we will look at later in this lesson).
How can I raise a customer query?
The easiest way to contact IATA, including when you have BSP-related queries is to access the Customer Portal.
Let's access it now. Click on the www.iata.org link. Once the IATA home page is displayed, click "Continue".
Locate and click on the "Customer Service" link at the top of the page. When you are ready, click "Continue".
You then select from the middle of the screen the Customer Service Portal related to the geographical area where the IATA office or the BSP you have a query for is located.
Let's select the Customer Portal for Europe (which is the same one for Americas, Middle East and Africa). Again, click "Continue".
As you review the page you will see there are three options located in the centre of the page.
Those options are Frequently Asked Questions, Resource Centre, and Log an Enquiry. "Continue".
Above the three options you will see a drop down box that allows you to select a language.
Click on the drop down arrow and select "French". Notice the page text changes to French. Now let's change it back to English, by selecting "Anglaìs" from the drop down options. "Continue" when you are ready.
Let's take a look at Frequently Asked Questions or FAQs. Click on the Frequently Asked Questions option. Click "Continue" when you are ready.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and type BSP in the search box, then click "Search". "Continue".
A list of the most frequently asked questions will be displayed. Look through the list. Find and click on the question "Where can I find the local BSP procedures (BSP Manual for Agent - Chapter 14)?".
A window will open with the response. Review the information in that window. Then close it to return to this page, then click "Continue".
If you have a specific question that is not included in the frequently asked questions list, you can send a question to BSP.
Let's look at the process. First let's go back to the Customer Portal for Europe by clicking on the link on the left side of the page titled "Customer Portal". Click "Continue" when you are ready.
Now click on the "Log an Enquiry" option.
Scroll down through the page to view the form. We will not submit an enquiry at this time.
Depending on the specifics of your query, a customer service representative or a representative of the local IATA/ BSP office will respond to you as soon as possible. "Continue".
Key Learning Points:
Key Learning Points:
There are no review questions for this lesson. Be certain you are comfortable with the information in Lesson 4 before moving on to Lesson 5 — BSP Terms and Language.