Comments on: Travel Agents protest with sweets and smile

By: Rajiv

Rajiv — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:54:08 +0000

I have witness the sea change in travel pattern in India in past 10 years.

First it is not ONLY 5% commission but airlines offers 30 days credit to agents (No body in above comments want to reveal) but THE End User has to settle account immediately except big clients/accounts. Mind it earlier big accounts were amounting 80% of air-travel now it is merely 30%. An individual travel has grown a lot.
This individual is well informed, tech savvy and has net access all the time from office and home via laptop, mobile etc. and uses credit card almost daily.

Coming back to credit from airlines when individual book the ticket he pays immediately but if he approach for cancellation agents always buy one month time.

I am fed up with these agents casualness with temporary recruited Front Desk eXecutives, frequently I have to tell them short mnemonics to retrieval/insertion of data to airlines database.

The move to cut commission and pass it to pax will increase the profitability of airlines; that are also responsible for their stock holders.

By: ASHUTOSH

ASHUTOSH — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:31:13 +0000

Air India one of the major Airline who had started this issue and later many Airlines followed Air India. I think Air India spending lot of money on their staff which is unneccissary. They should cut their expenses like they have appointed sales person for the travel agency and we all knows most of the sales person are useless. Airlines should think about of cut cost instead of 0% commission to travel agents. Travel agents gives 85% business to airlines and do really hard work. Airlines just gives 5% commission on basic fare most of the time travel agents passes this commission to the passenger. these days when the ticket is issued we can see taxes and fuel surcharge amount is more than the basic fare. I don’t know how the airlines will be benifited with this 5% reduce move.

By: Suresh Joshi

Suresh Joshi — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:03:41 +0000

Travel Agents are the backbone of the Aviation Industry. Stopping the payment of commission by the airlines is sure to put the last nail on the airlines coffin.

By: Suresh Joshi

Suresh Joshi — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:00:21 +0000

Travel Agents are the backbone of the Aviation Industry. Stopping the payment of commission by the airlines is sure to the put the last nail on the airlines coffin.

By: Sunil Bijlani

Sunil Bijlani — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:25:47 +0000

My Friend ! I spent 26 Years in this Industry .i can site several ways how airlines are mis-managed and are responsible for their own losses Agents 5 % is a miniscule ammount .Are you aware corporate are paid incentives upto 15% and they are after our 5 % . Most of the airlines fly 35 % seats empty but are not ready to sell at reasonable prices, but want to extract maximum fare from pax . If Japan . Hongkong Australia can survive with 7-9 % commission why not India . Plus Anylize are you making those Billion $ losses ex India NO . american airlines have ridiculous prices wherby cost of travel from home to Airport is 80 $ but you can fly to a lot of destinations for 50 $ , you make losses in US and want to claim in India .

By: hitesh

hitesh — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:19:43 +0000

first of all,you have to understand the roles of these easily accessible travel agents to know the impact of the decision.but on the other hand we can’t run away from the fact that the airline are facing financial crisis.so,an reduction in the commission rates can be a mutually beneficial solution.

By: Sunil Bijlani

Sunil Bijlani — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:49:43 +0000

Hi
I these Guy’s Who want to do away with a travel agent have never ever flown before or have never had a a full service agent who offers all services like visas - cheap airfares , parts commission out of his income making travel more cheaper , the agent is available at every beck n call eg when you are stuck abroad with departed flight , sends you ticket when you dont have cash or or have surpased the credit limit on card .lost your bag any emergency like you pay him after you come back simply becoz you are out of cash .

All the best in case we become Extinct. Which i seriously doubt !

By: Kamlesh

Kamlesh — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:40:27 +0000

It is a good decision . It has come aafter a long way.
Company as well as the passenger will benefit.

By: Ram Kamal

Ram Kamal — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:00:02 +0000

Airlines should look into their passenger’s profile before they come with a major decision like this. May be their statistics might be correct but the reality check will prove 80% or over passengers in India is still service depended and Airlines can’t simply say that they do not want agents. It is like cutting the branch they are sitting. More than that by playing many different class in all most all English alphabets to give different pricing for normal economy tickets by the airline, how come a passenger can believe the airline is truly giving is five percent discount directly to the passenger! At least the travel agent shares the discount with passengers who pay at the time of booking.

By: Ankur Kaushik

Ankur Kaushik — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:31:38 +0000

Good move from airlines. All Brokers/Middle men/Agents should be abandoned in INDIA..