A BID by British Airways’ new sales and marketing
boss to encourage agents to gather more customer details for the
airline has threatened to spark another row with the
trade.
Head of UK and Ireland sales and marketing David Noyes, who
began his latest BA role on September 1, said the airline’s
e-commerce plans would be aided by agents asking clients for e-mail
addresses and mobile telephone numbers at the time of booking.
He said BA had found customer contact information for bookings
was “so poor for some people” – but stressed this was not a
ploy to take customers away from agents.
Noyes said it was important BA used text messaging and e-mail to
keep travellers informed of last-minute flight changes. Only 4.5%
of BA passengers check-in online via ba.com, and Noyes said greater
take-up would cut waiting times and queues at space-poor terminals
such as Heathrow.
The BA proposal was immediately slammed by Clive Green, owner of
London-based agency Clive Green Travel.
“If BA ran a proper schedule, it wouldn’t have any need
for these new services,” he said.
Green criticised BA two months ago for expecting agents to enter
clients’ On Business membership numbers when booking flights
through global distribution systems (Travel Weekly September 24)
.
Green accused BA of using the tactic to take business clients
away from agencies.
“The fact BA thinks any agent is going to trust it ever again is
incredible,” he said. “The airline pays me peanuts, and I see no
reason to do any more than make the booking, issue the ticket, and
change bookings.”
Green said Noyes had “his work cut out if he thinks he can charm
us now”.
But Noyes said he’d met with corporate agents, ABTA and
the Guild of Business Travel Agents, and would continue talking to
agents about the mutual benefits of BA’s latest
technology.