My ‘Fresh Approach’ is a boycott

My ‘Fresh Approach’ is a boycott

Along with hundreds, if not thousands of retail agents both independent and multiple, the agency I’m connected to has decided on a ‘Fresh Approach’ itself.

That ‘Fresh Approach’ is to never again sell a British Airways flight if humanly possible.

Tiffany Hall admits agents “may switch-sell”. A bit optimistic, Tiffany. It will not be a case of switch-sell, but of won’t-sell and clients will not even be offered a BA option.

Quite simply, any travel agent who does not follow this policy must be raving mad. If they don’t, within a year many other airlines will follow suit as they did with commission reductions.

The major tour operators must also be watching developments and will, no doubt, move in a fee payment direction if the BA’s ‘Fresh Approach’ seems to work.

It is so easy to sell other carriers. Only this week I placed six corporate passengers with Continental’s BusinessFirst on its Manchester/Newark service. Their company, which sends staff to the US regularly, used BA’s Manchester/JFK as recently as last month – but no more, thanks to my guidance. Continental has gone out of its way to help and with a Boeing 777 service, my clients get a much better service and deal.

I would love to be proud of our national carrier and give it my full support but, without question, it is the most arrogant and unhelpful that exists.

BBA (Boycott British Airways) is my motto – I am sure this philosophy will be adopted by many.

Malcolm Sperring-Toy

Independent travel consultant

Staffordshire