Your Letters page has been well represented by frustrated agents openly criticising tour operators for their lack of support.
I am reluctant to labour the subject. However, Ido feel that British Airways Holidays is worthy of a special mention.
In the past couple of weeks, my agency has booked two holidays featured in its Golf Holidays brochure.
Perhaps some agents out there are unaware that the commission payable on such bookings is a somewhat insulting 2.2% or £35 per booking.
The value of the first booking was £1,652 and the second £1,432.
Through allowing our clients the luxury of paying us by credit card, we would be expected to work as unpaid agents for BAH.
To add insult to injury, yesterday one of my agency’s very loyal clients approached us regarding a particularly expensive BAH trip for February 2000.
In the past, he has automatically booked with us without question.
However, on this occasion he hesitated having received a letter directly from BA offering a 10% discount.
As a consequence, we either work for nothing or risk losing a client.
Come clean BAH, why even make a pretence of wishing to support the agency network?
Brendan Maguire
Proprietor
Quartz Travel
Glasgow