BRITISH Airways has been accused of attempting to poach
a business travel agent’s clients following its recent flight
cancellations debacle.
Wellers Corporate Choice business travel manager Evarne Journet
is furious with BA after it offered one of her leading clients
10,000 free Air Miles in compensation for disruption caused by last
month’s cancellations.
Journet had contacted the airline on the client’s behalf
to claim compensation, but was “astonished” to find BA had
approached the client direct.
“I’m absolutely furious with BA,” she said. “It seems like
the airline wants to poach the client away from us by going behind
our backs and offering a product they can only book direct.”
“It’s appalling behaviour. I called BA to complain but
have not heard anything back. That’s what they think of
agents.”
A BA spokeswoman said it wanted to act quickly to contact
affected customers and got in touch with all Executive Club members
caught up in the problems.
However, Advantage business travel director Norman Gage claimed
corporate agents are furious with the airline’s recent
behaviour but can’t make their grievances public because of
gagging clauses in their sales and marketing agreements.
“BA has cut its staff to the bone and left agents to sort out
the mess.”
Gage has been further angered by the carrier’s most recent
bout of cancellations because they will affect flights to
Advantage’s October business conference in Copenhagen.
BA has cut hundreds of short and long-haul flights between
September and December, representing around 2% of its flying
programme, to ease the pressure on its operation.
“People will have to rebook flights or fly with alternative
carriers. It’s just a hassle,” he said.
BA said the move was a “prudent” measure to relieve pressure on
its network.