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Posted Aug 26, 2011
"When was the last time somebody went to a bank teller instead of using an ATM or used a travel agent instead of going online? A lot of jobs that used to require people now have become automated." President Obama last week uttered those words to illustrate how automation and corporate efficiency have complicated job growth. It seemed fair and accurate to me. But to the American Society of Travel Agents, Travel Leaders and others, it was an attack on the industry.
The only problem: Obama was right, or at least he said nothing wrong.
Posted Aug 12, 2011
Though there are many questions and potential ramifications--known and unknown--on American Airlines' Direct Connect program, travel industry attorney Mark Pestronk said that for travel agencies, "there seems to be no harm" in signing up for it.
Posted Nov 22, 2010
Posted Apr 15, 2010
We reported in The Beat on Wednesday that American Airlines said it had not disclosed economic terms for its planned direct connect initiative. Today, the airline issued a slightly more specific statement:
Posted Jun 25, 2009
No one can wait or depend on the success of the suggested ASTA government effort. Some significant groupings of large corporate travel agencies are considering what action they might take individually. Here's a fully manageable plan which can work. The following plan (if taken by enough agencies) will send a clear and costly message to UAL over the next weeks ...
While the current "test" merchant program (or any similar form) exists:
Posted Feb 10, 2009
ASTA is mad at Delta. The association on Wednesday accused the carrier of "forcibly" collecting travel agency funds for "booking violations that were, in some cases, likely caused by technical issues related to Delta's audit program, rather than by agency malfeasance."
Posted Jul 25, 2008
American Airlines this week established new ticketing restrictions on refundable fares. "On most premium cabin and full-fare coach inventories, this change will add a ticketing requirement of three days before departure or one day after the booking is made, whichever comes later," according to AA's Web site. "All other refundable coach fares require ticketing within one day of booking."
Posted Jun 2, 2008
Delta Air Lines yesterday began auditing "all GDS user transactions to identify booking policy violations," according to the carrier's Online Agency Service Center. Violators would be charged $3.50 per net passenger segment or a $50 fee, "depending on the nature of the violation."
Posted May 21, 2008
Finding that "no alternative to the current settlement system as provided by the Airlines Reporting Corp. was feasible unless accepted by all major air carriers," the American Society of Travel Agents' task force investigating the potential for an alternate airline ticket settlement system has "held its last meeting," ASTA said.
According to ASTA President and CEO Cheryl Hudak, "The current system is untenable and yet there is no viable alternative. ARC is a monopoly--it has no competition and accordingly there are no options."
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