BY FRAN DURBIN
WASHINGTON -- Approximately 1,500 travel agencies have been
facing an April 1 deadline to get new Airlines Reporting Corp.
bonds, and the message from ARC is "Move quickly."
The situation occurred because Hartford Insurance Co., the
largest underwriter of ARC bonds, is pulling out of the market and
is not renewing bonds on their anniversary dates.
ARC president David Collins said his staff sent out a number of
reminders, including a pink postcard, and have been making personal
calls to the agents to urge them not to wait until the last minute
to apply for new bonds.
"These things take more than one day," Collins said in an
interview.
Under the ARC contract, ARC has the right immediately to pick up
the ticket stock and plates of an agency whose bond or letter of
credit has lapsed. If the agency fails to get a replacement surety
within 30 days, ARC will terminate its accreditation.
"We'd prefer not to be out picking up stock when April 1 comes
along. We're doing everything we can to remind the agents that we
need them to move quickly, and time is running out," Collins
said.
The next major anniversary dates for Hartford bonds are June 1
and Sept. 1, which will affect an estimated 2,200 agencies.
Hartford had been issuing bonds through the Washington-based
brokerage firm Seabury and Smith under the ASTA bonding
program.
ASTA has endorsed a Seabury and Smith program with a different
insurance company, as well as a second bonding program through the
brokerage firm of Hess Egan Hagerty and L'Hommedieu of Chevy Chase,
Md.