How IATA Easy Pay helps agents with their work

Fast and secure payment or payment remittance services are among the things today’s travel agents need for their work, and IATA Easy Pay is one of the leading services in the field.

The International Air Travel Association (IATA) Easy Pay application is a “pay as you go” e-wallet solution for agents to issue tickets via IATA’s billing and settlement plan (BSP). 

IATA Easy Pay is a closed-loop and proprietary payment system, making it safe and secure with every transaction.

This proprietary system was developed by IATA by Edenred Corporate Payment.

Who’s currently using IATA Easy Pay?

Based on current figures, IATA Easy Pay is being used by more than 100 airlines in over 70 countries worldwide.

Among those currently using the system are Air Canada, Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa, and United.

Since the technology’s launch in 2018, IATA EasyPay enables IATA-accredited travel agents to set-up and fund a dedicated prepaid eWallet, which can be used to pay for airline tickets through the BSP.

Funds are secured at the time of ticket issuance in the GDS, then settled by Edenred from the travel agent eWallet to IATA’s BSP.

What are the benefits of using IATA Easy Pay?

• IATA Easy Pay is Voluntary: The method is available to all agents, but it will be up to each agent to decide whether or not to use it. It is not intended to replace existing payment methods;
• IATA Easy Pay is Secure: To use IATA Easy Pay, agents must fund their IATA Easy Pay account. At the time of ticket issuance, the IATA Easy Pay system will first verify that funds are available in the account. If yes, the system will generate an authorization and the related funds will be blocked. For airlines there is no risk of chargebacks. Agents will nonetheless be able to void and refund their IATA Easy Pay transactions as per usual through the BSP;
• IATA Easy Pay is Fast: IATA settles IATA Easy Pay amounts to the airlines on a daily basis, using the existing BSP processes, with monies reaching the airlines 48 to 96 hours following ticket issuance;
• IATA Easy Pay is Economical: With a low cost per transaction, IATA Easy Pay is more cost effective for airlines than credit card transactions; and
• IATA Easy Pay is Flexible: As a secure form of payment, IATA Easy Pay transactions are not part of an Agent’s cash sales at risk. This allows Agents a means to lower their financial security amounts with IATA, and to issue transactions which are not included in their cash issuance capacity.