Western Union Adds Convenience for Travelers to and From Latin America to
Purchase Airline Tickets
DENVER, April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Through a new service available between
the individual carriers of the LAN Airline Alliance -- including LAN Airlines
(NYSE: LFL based in Santiago, Chile), LAN PERU and LAN ECUADOR -- and Western
Union Financial Services, Inc., a subsidiary of First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC),
travelers between the U.S. and Latin America now have an additional and
convenient payment option when purchasing airline tickets via each of the LAN
Alliance participating carrier's toll-free reservation system. This service
caters to travelers who prefer to pay with cash -- adding more than
46,000 Western Union Agent locations throughout the U.S. and Latin America
where tickets can be purchased after making their LAN Alliance carrier
reservation by phone.
"This is yet another step in the Alliance's continuing efforts to provide
travelers with the highest quality of service," said Pablo Montesinos LAN
Airlines' Vice President North/Central America and Asia. "By working with
Western Union, we are offering a convenient option for those passengers who
prefer to pay with cash."
The number of North American visitors to Latin America has continued to
increase over the past few years and this trend is expected to continue.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), passenger
growth from North America to South America grew at nearly 13 percent in 2004
compared to 2003(1), and similar results were also released by the U.S. Bureau
of Transportation Statistics who found a notable growth in tourism to South
America over the past decade(2). In fact, the number of travelers from the
U.S. to South America experienced one of the highest percentage growth rates
worldwide(3). This growth trend is expected to continue into the next decade
as well. According to the World Tourism Organization, travel to South America
experienced double-digit growth in 2004(4), and growth prospects continue on
the positive side with South America sited among the most optimistic.
For businesses that traditionally operate via credit card transactions,
such as airlines, offering a cash payment option is important for meeting a
variety of customers' needs and avoiding lost sales. Western Union and the
participating LAN Alliance members recognized a need when evaluating the
increased travel to Latin American countries and a large portion of the U.S.
population that prefers to pay in cash (cash accounts for 30 percent of all
retail transactions in the U.S.).
"Cash-based consumers make up a significant portion of the population, and
airlines need to orient their businesses to provide convenient payment options
for this group," said Joe Jackson, president, Western Union Payment Services.
"Western Union's unparalleled network makes purchasing a ticket convenient for
those customers who simply prefer to pay in cash."
How it works:
* When travelers book a flight on one of the participating LAN Alliance
carriers, they can choose to send a cash payment for their
reservation, instead of using a credit card. Currently, this service
is available to passengers making telephone reservations via LAN's
toll-free system at 866-I-FLY-LAN.
* After the flight is booked, consumers will be given a confirmation
number to take to the most convenient, nearby Western Union Agent
location. Tickets must be paid for in full, within 24 hours, to
guarantee the reservation.
* At the Western Union Agent location, consumers fill out a blue "Quick
Collect" form (for transactions originating in the US) or a blue
"Payment Services" form (for transactions originating outside the US)
and give it to the Agent clerk along with a nominal service fee.
* The Western Union Agent sends the payment to the corresponding LAN
Alliance carrier and the carrier validates the payment through their
reservation system within minutes.
* Customers receive a detailed Western Union receipt and confirmation
number as proof that the payment was sent to the participating LAN
Alliance carrier for their electronic ticket.
About Western Union Financial Services, Inc. and First Data
Western Union Financial Services, Inc., a subsidiary of First Data Corp.
(NYSE: FDC), is an international leader in consumer money transfer services.
Consumers can quickly and reliably pay bills and transfer money around the
globe using the company's proprietary money transfer network. Western Union
and its subsidiary, Orlandi Valuta, together make up one of the world's
largest money transfer networks with approximately 225,000 Agent locations in
more than 200 countries and territories. Famous for its pioneering telegraph
service, the original Western Union dates back to 1851 and introduced
electronic money transfer service in 1871. For more information, please visit
the company's Web site at http://www.westernunion.com.
First Data Corp., with global headquarters in Denver, helps power the
global economy. Serving approximately 4.1 million merchant locations,
1,400 card issuers and millions of consumers, First Data makes it easy, fast
and secure for people and businesses to buy goods and services, using
virtually any form of payment: credit, debit, smart card, stored-value card or
check at the point-of-sale, over the Internet or by money transfer. For more
information, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.firstdata.com.
About LAN
The LAN service alliance participating airlines LAN AIRLINES (NYSE: LFL),
LAN PERU and LAN ECUADOR offer a united spirit of reliability and charm that
provides passengers the highest level of service and safety with the complete
travel experience throughout the skies of the Americas.
THE LAN alliance's vast network reaches a large number of destinations
throughout the world, including the Americas, Europe, Asia and the South
Pacific. The alliance offers non-stop and direct flights from North America
to Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela
with services from 29 North American cities, including daily flights from its
Miami, New York and Los Angeles gateways. Passengers traveling with any of
the LAN service alliance participating airlines may accumulate frequent flier
kilometers in LANPASS. Additionally, passengers traveling with LAN AIRLINES
or LAN PERU may also accumulate frequent flier miles in American Airlines'
AAdvantage or any of the oneworld(TM) member frequent flyer programs.
For additional information, contact LAN toll-free at 1 (866) I-FLY-LAN.
Visit LAN's website at http://www.lan.com.
Sources:
(1) IATA - International Traffic Statistics: December 2004 and Year-end
2004
(2) BTS Publication - International Travel and Transportation Trends,
Overview of U.S. International Travel, 2000
(3) BTS Publication - International Travel and Transportation Trends,
Table 1 "Travel Between the United States and Foreign Countries" for
1990, 1995 and 2000
(4) WTO's World Tourism Barometer, Volume 3, No. 1, January 2005
SOURCE Western Union Financial Services, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.westernunion.com
CONTACT:
Danielle Pereira of Western Union Financial
Services, Inc., +1-303-967-6062,
danielle.pereira@firstdatacorp.com; or Misty Pinson of MSP
Communications, Inc., +1-954-341-2535, mspcomm@bellsouth.net, for
LAN Airline Alliance
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