AMADEUS is decommissioning
access to Iata Timatic but the
solution is still in demand by
many agents. Initially planned
for the end of March, it is
now scheduled to happen on
October 31.
Jannine Adams, senior
manager marketing and
communications of Amadeus
Southern Africa, says the
agreement with Iata for
access to this information on
the Amadeus platform has
come to the end of its term.
“Agents can still access the
information via the public
Iata site,” she says.
However, Angela McLoskey,
md of Sure Dynamic Travel,
says the Iata travel centre
cannot compare with the
service provided by Timatic,
and says inputting information
into the site is a laborious
process and the answer the
system gives at the end is
vague.
Agents’ first choice for visa
information is Timatic, says
Judith Eichhorst of Valley
View Travel, saying it reflects
all countries’ passports and
visa requirements. “We go to
Travelinfo (TI) for South African
passport information and
visa requirements.”
TI is most helpful for RSA
passport holders while Timatic
is very good for foreign
passport holders, checking
transit without visa (TWOV)
and other information needed
for countries not listed in TI,
says Tamara Rabinowitz, ITC
for Sure Giltedge Travel.
Chris Cromhout, owner
of Ditshaba Travel, says,
however, that agents should
be cautious about relying on
solutions like Timatic. “There
are around 190 countries in
the world. Each country has
its visa requirements for the
citizens of every other country.
This would make the number
of combinations 190 to the
power of 189. That’s trillions.”
Chris says local systems
like TI or those companies
that provide visa services are
much better equipped with
up-to-date information.
“I believe one can use
products like Timatic but never
base your advice for a client
on that system only.”
The visa application is
one of the most important
aspects of the booking, warns
Linda van der Pol, divisional
executive of Travelinfo. “If this
is not done timeously and
accurately, the entire booking
will be a disaster.”
Linda says some agencies
prefer to use visa companies
while others don’t want to get
involved in the visa process
at all. “Travelinfo’s aim is to
make it easy for agents to
reference the most up-todate
information possible.
Naturally, we are at the mercy
of embassies or consulates.
Nothing goes up on Travelinfo
without their verification.”
She adds that TI’s visa
section averages nearly
50 000 page views per
month.
Meanwhile, Jannine says
Amadeus is evaluating an
alternative solution to
Timatic
