ARC said it completed a proof of concept for the use of blockchain technology to report and settle airline tickets.
ARC worked with United Airlines and Blockskye, a blockchain solutions provider, to report and settle tickets on ARC’s private blockchain. Blockchains can be private or public (private blockchains restrict who can access the network).
ARC vice president and chief information officer Dickie Oliver said that ARC is investigating blockchain’s potential in a number of areas, including settlement.
“In the case of direct or indirect ticket sales, we believe blockchain has the potential to provide a secure, distributed and immutable transaction record that will improve upon business processes that exist today,” Oliver said.
United managing director of distribution and ancillary pricing Jeff Christensen said that the test showed blockchain can simplify the booking process for corporate travelers and improve receipt collection for expense reports.
Following further testing, the capability could be made available to other airlines, ARC said.
