ReadING the papers recently, you would think the heavens had fallen in following the European Commission ruling on British Airways.
Instead of the industry leaders saying “how marvellous – at last BA has had its comeuppance,” they write about hypocrisy, saying that this sort of thing has always gone on in the travel world.
The simple fact is that Richard Branson has achieved what nobody else could. He has stopped BA in its tracks.
When BA reduced commission to 7% the entire industry was together on imposing a total ban on BA for a few days. ABTA’s answer to the problem was to advise agents to charge fees.
It amazes me that ABTA could write off 2% commission, and yet spend thousands fighting the Passenger Service Charge. What do we now read – ABTA is about to fight Eurotunnel on its proposals to reduce commission from 9% to 7%! Perhaps the threat of impotency has sunk in.
PRPeake
Managing director,
Peakes Travel Market
Shrewsbury