Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) has reported that the consolidated dollar value of airline tickets sold by US-based travel agencies dropped 2.4% in February 2017 as compared to 2016, totaling USD 7.5bn versus USD 7.7bn, the company said.
Results are based on monthly sales data ending February 28, 2017, from 12,596 US retail and corporate travel agency locations, satellite ticket printing offices, and online travel agencies, and do not include sales of tickets purchased directly from airlines.
Total sales are equal to the total amount paid for a ticket, which includes taxes and fees.
Total fares also decreased 1.5% to USD 5.9bn compared to USD 6bn in 2016. Total fares and total sales also dropped in February compared to the first month of 2017.
Ticket transactions increased nearly 4% compared to February 2016. However, total transactions are down approximately 852,000 compared to January 2017.
Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD) sales, which include fees for products and services such as upgraded seats, checked luggage, an unaccompanied minor, pet-in-cabin, etc., comprised nearly USD 7m, a 149% increase over 2016. EMD transactions increased 288% to more than 121,000 in February 2017 compared to nearly 31,000 in 2016.
The Airlines Reporting Corporation provides leading business solutions, travel agency accreditation services, process and financial management tools, and high-quality data to the travel industry. In 2016, ARC settled USD 86bn worth of carrier ticket transactions for more than 7,000 travel agencies with 12,000 points of sale. The company is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with offices in Louisville, Kentucky, Tampa, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Related Articles