Agents told to stop ‘moaning’ about BA’s plan

Airline’s director of sales hits out at retailers

Airline’s director of sales hits out at retailers

Agents told to stop ‘moaning’ about BA’s plan

Report by LISAJAMES

BRITISH Airways director of sales Dale Moss has told agents to stop “bitching and moaning” about the airline’s plans to introduce its 0% commission policy.

During an ABTA convention seminar on agents’ remuneration, Moss said:”It has always been difficult to think about charging service fees and consulting fees but don’t just bitch and moan.

“It is a platform for a new era. Get involved and help change the world. To say ‘I am entitled to this because I have always had this’ is a load of bull. Agents have been consulted.We have worked very carefully with them. We have engineered it as sensitively as we can.”

But Phoenix Travel director Martin Lancaster said he was unhappy about the way BA had handled discussions over plans to bring in commission cuts on April 1 next year.

He said:”There was consultation but it was like the butcher asking the pig which leg he wanted cutting off. We did have some say in it but not much.”

First Choice UK distribution managing director Peter Shanks said:”I think that BA is doing the wrong thing. The carrier has a fantastic product but the arrogance and suspicion has not gone away.”

He told Moss:”As a multiple we will work with you on taking net fares and charging a mark-up and we will expect to be profitable.

“If we do not make money, we will not sell you, because we are not a charity.”

ABTApresident and Bath Travel managing director Stephen Bath said:”We agents do £10 million a day for BA. If BAgets it wrong it will have problems. Most agents don’t know yet how the new agreement will affect them. It is a case of go to April 1 – suck it and see.”

P&OTravel managing director Tony Hughes said: “Iwas chairman of the Guild of BusinessTravel Agents when BAfaxed us to say that commission was being cut from 9%-7%.

“I personally thought at the time, and still do, that was a total abuse of its dominant position. But the whole issue has made me and my competitors look at services that we provide.”

Tough talk: Moss told agents that strong involvement in the new pay scheme was the only way to move forward and generate more sales