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But from the first childs scream, when immunisation needles were
mentioned, my travel quest was under immense pressure. While I knew
needles could be navigated, the unavoidable threat was that the cost for a
family of four could become a trip-killer, the difference between Ho Chi
Minh and Homestay. So I began the R & C shuffle research and
compare; a scan for the cheapest flights, with an optimistic peak season
budget of $1,000 return per person.
My two departure airport options were Queenslands Brisbane and the
Gold Coast. The Gold Coast is my local one and as Australias fastest
growing airport, is serviced by budget airlines Scoot, Air Asia and Tiger, as
well as Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin. To go from the local strip would be a
time boon, because when travelling with kids, I measure travel hours in
door-to door mode. That is the gross potential period for them to turn
into scream-bubbles or act like flapping catfish on the floors of planes and
transit lounges.
Yet this raises the question of customer service for travellers. A travel
agents key attraction is their access to all fares, and their expert
knowledge that quickly provides travellers with the best possible options
to meet their needs. By not offering certain fare types however, agents
are knowingly not doing the best possible thing by their clients.
The budget airlines suggest a solution: that agents are free and even
encouraged to sell their product. They just wont pay for it. Which means
an agent must add on a booking fee, which in turn erodes the agents
mission in providing best price. The LCCs also fail to mention that their
systems are not practical for agents. Most LCCs have a consumer booking
engine which is slow, unique to each of them and time consuming with all
those pesky add-ons; the antithesis of an agent providing efficient
service.
Yet some things are changing. Only recently has it been announced that
Ryanair will start making their fares available on Amadeus, a GDS (Global
distribution system), a centralised reservation system used by agents.
EasyJet and Air Asia have done the same through Travelport. So for their
future growth, these airlines recognise they need agents, but they still
wont pay them. These reservation systems may open up the possibility of
agents offering a service fee, but while these fees are quite common in
the larger Northern Hemisphere markets, the Australian consumers still
resists them.
As an observer, it appears odd that for what would be less than $7
commission on a $100 fare, LCCs see no value in selling through a retail
distribution network of thousands, each site set up at high cost with their
own sales staff, and loyal customers who will listen to recommendations.
In reverse, its their book-direct business model and while none of the
Australian budget carriers have yet scratched a profit, others make up a
big chunk of most profitable airlines in other parts of the world.
From all this, I look at my local Gold Coast City, population nearing
500,000. It has an airport growing on the back of these budget airlines
and is regionally serviced by hundreds of local retail agents that do not
sell these flights. Some may impose a service fee, a few may do the
booking as an add-on service, but the systems are clunky and overall, for
the few that do, it is a begrudged activity.
Yet while theses carriers all continue to report losses, the agents are
sending their own clients to Brisbane airport for departures, even when
they know there are cheaper and more convenient options available. The
city is losing departure sales, taxi fares, and tourism dollars via
@johnahernoz
John will be presenting his Greatest Travel Tips Ever at the Brisbane
Travel Expo on 21/22 February. www.travelexpo.net.au/travelexpo/brisbane