BRITISH Airways has outraged UKagents with its plan to fly in trade experts from the US to teach retailers how to charge service fees.
The airline has shortlisted a number of consultants from the US to give service fee tips toagents in seminars to be held in April and May.
But UK agents claim the airline’s decision, exclusively revealed in Travel Weekly last week, shows BAis out of touch and does not understand that the markets in the two countries are completely different.
One disgruntled agent, David Whittaker who is managing director of Andrews Travel Agency in Camberwell, south London, said: “BAhas completely lost the plot. This is an affront to our intelligence.”
Shop manager Jean Ivell, whose agency, Pole Travel in Manchester, is spearheading a week-long boycott of BAin May, said: “Don’t pay for these people to come over in the first place.
“They should stay in the US. Why does BAthink the Americans know better than us?
“It is disgusting. I am not interested in these seminars and I will not be taking part.”
Advantage Travel Centres business development manager Norman Gage said BAshould put resources into teaching agents how to persuade their clients to pay service fees.
“There are differences between the way the two countries do business. BAlooked at the commission-capping structure which exists in the US, and said that it would not work in the UK,” Gage said.
“How can BAthen bring in management consultants from over there? There are enough people in the UKwho know about dealing with fees.”
He added:”What my members want to know is not how to introduce fees, but how to get the message across to our clients.”
Glasgow-based Clifford International managing director Ken Clifford said:”I agree with charging service fees but I don’t think we need to be taught by the US.
“BAis implying we haven’t got a clue how to run our own businesses. It is a bit of a cheek.”
BAhead of UK and Ireland sales Tiffany Hall said:”I appreciate what people are saying, but experts in the UKare going to be less willing to give away their secrets on how to set management fees. AUS agent would be willing to talk openly.
“We are looking at a number of different options and we are very open to bringing in anyone from anywhere.”