Leading travel technology company Amadeus has entered a partnership with Chargebacks 911 against the backdrop of travel chargebacks rising 50% since before Covid and them expected to increase further.
A chargeback is the formal process initiated when a cardholder disputes a payment – often leading to the cardholder being reimbursed directly by their issuing bank, which then obtains the funds from the merchant.
Since the disruption seen during the pandemic the travel industry has witnessed a significant rise in chargebacks, with one in every eight chargebacks now related to travel purchases.
Given the rise in disputes, some travel companies lack the resource and data insights to handle the process efficiently, with many disputes automatically resulting in favour of the cardholder, often without challenge.
That’s why Amadeus is launching Amadeus Chargeback Management, powered by Chargebacks 911, which provides airlines with an automated and fully outsourced service to better manage chargebacks at scale.
Airlines can now see a detailed overview of chargebacks by accessing the existing Xchange Payment Platform (XPP). Increased automation is achieved with Amadeus’ unique travel information, which provides a clear view of whether a traveler received the service in question.
This is combined with detailed payment information to help airlines automate their response to each dispute, reducing instances of fraud and the overall cost of managing chargebacks.
Monica Eaton, Founder of Chargebacks911 said: “Unfortunately, if passengers miss a flight or if their plans change, some decide to raise an illegitimate chargeback. Periods of recent disruption have increased awareness of chargebacks amongst travellers, and the ease with which disputes can be raised via mobile banking apps mean high volumes are a significant issue. Our partnership with Amadeus lifts the burden, so airlines can focus on their core business.”
Damian Alonso, Head of Platform and Partnerships, Payments, Amadeus commented: “Travel companies told us chargebacks have increased by 50% on average since the pandemic. Addressing the issue is a high priority for 70% of firms we surveyed, and it’s easy to see why. It is estimated fraudulent disputes cost airlines upwards of $1bn annually. By combining our travel and payment information with Chargeback 911’s specialist service, the industry can automatically spot and efficiently resolve disputes.”
