GDS launches PCI DSS compliance tool

TRAVELPORT is the first
GDS to launch an online
PCI DSS (Payment Card
Industry Data Security
Standard) compliance
referral service to help
its agents’ businesses
achieve PCI DSS
certification, a requirement
by the card industry
for every business that
touches card payments.
Agencies have until
March 1 to achieve PCI
DSS compliance or risk
losing their Iata licence.
In response to
agents asking for
guidance on PCI DSS
certification, Travelport
chose to partner with
SecurityMetrics, a leading
provider in data security
and compliance for
organisations worldwide,
to make the process
of becoming PCI DSS
compliant as simple, low
cost and streamlined as
possible. The PCI DSS
certification tool provides
agents with an online
Wizard Tool that guides
agents through the selfassessment
questionnaire
process, enabling them
to achieve PCI DSS
compliance.
Alexandra Fitzpatrick,
VP Travelport Global
Payment Solutions,
commented on the launch
of this tool: “The purpose
of this tool is to empower
agency customers to
adhere to industry
regulations to meet
and retain compliance,
enabling them to and
become a trusted partner
to their customers,
especially when it comes
to card payments and dayto-day
cybersecurity.”
Alexandra says it takes
a minimum of three days
to complete the PCI DSS
certification process using
the tool. “Given the short
length of time it takes, if
agents start now, there
will be sufficient time for
them to become compliant
before the deadline and
fix any vulnerabilities
that may arise during the
process.”