SQ & Flight Centre Australia

[trekkie]

deleted

[Airline Orgasm]

It depends what you use a TA for. A simple routing from A to B at the cheapest possible price is best done by yourself. Anything more complicated (routing and/or fares), a good TA (by which I don't mean FC or any other high street travel shop) is invaluable. I have access to Amadeus etc and know my way around Sabre enough to find simple fares/flights/hotels and book them; but a proper TA does more than that and - in my experience at least - provides a service which more than compensates for any fee payable.

What exactly does a good TA do? Could you please describe?

With the exception of corporate TAs who's function, as I see it are gate-keepers so as to ensure a company's travel policies are being applied (ie, cheapest logical, airline agnostic fares). Corporate TA is the control companies use to mitigate against the risk of non compliance with their travel policy. Besides this function, what does a good TA do?

[Doraemon]

What exactly does a good TA do? Could you please describe?

With the exception of corporate TAs who's function, as I see it are gate-keepers so as to ensure a company's travel policies are being applied (ie, cheapest logical, airline agnostic fares). Corporate TA is the control companies use to mitigate against the risk of non compliance with their travel policy. Besides this function, what does a good TA do?

In that case, my company's corporate TA (AMEX) has failed miserably. They always do not book us on the lowest logical fare and I can always find a cheaper fare online with the same fare restriction. For our travels in domestic US or Europe, they always book us on 2 separate airlines (hence 2 separate tickets and 2 separate AMEX booking charges) under the disguise that the timing is better. On one occasion, the AMEX TA even asked me is the booking class I a business or economy class fare code when I was trying to book on 9W. Seriously, I really wonder why my company is still using AMEX as our corporate TA.

Until such time when a good TA (corporate or personal) can demonstrate that they do indeed provide a service that is good or can't be provided directly by the airlines, it is difficult for them to demand booking fees from passengers and commissions from airlines at the same time.

[Chris]

Thanks KeithMEL! Interesting read. I have a friend working with AA in their London Regional Office. Apparently it's common knowledge within the industry that SQ treats travel agents with disdain....and you know what? Why not???

I honestly dont care much for travel agents esp the likes of FC. Honestly, what value do they add??? They hinder the process and limit our options by displaying travel option through parameters defined by them. Theoretically, how certain are we that a fare quoted to us by a travel agents is the best possible fare/connection? How do you independently corroborate that, when they box you in with the threat that the fare will not last if you dont hold it?
I guess the bigger question is; What is the incentive for airline reservation systems like Amadeus, Sabre and Abacus to remain the exclusive tools of travel agents?
The Bible was translated from Latin to the common tongue. Perhaps it is time to further hasten the Reformation in the airline travel industry.

As a TA, we have broad experience, which as a client you may not have. Remember we're doing this 40+ hours a week, year on year. You may perceive that our industry is simple, and your justification for this is because you can book a SINLHR in 5 mins on sq.com. Your answered your own question, we know we can offer the best possible fare/connection because we do this day in day out.

In the corporate realm we offer reporting, policy adherence and buying power - individuals within an organisation cannot offer any of these imperitive aspects to corporate travel.

Edit: We love FC as they make the rest of the industry look good, I am from a medium, high service level corp agent.

[Chris]

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...itinerary.html, post 3

shows SQ bookings are usually best seen on sabre. as i said, it was the last i know.

the kriscom you are referring to has been supposedly called GUI-kriscom which as you know is being phrased out. Amadeus and sabre are supposedly now in a tie up which was discussed quite heavily in those "fare threads". Somewhere along the threads, SQ and sabre was discussed. nuff said.

Back to topic, i would be interested to see how this affects SQ load numbers. Hopefully, more genuine discounting on the way.

If a client asks for a SQ flight I am sure the FC consultant will still sell them the space.

[Chris]

In that case, my company's corporate TA (AMEX) has failed miserably. They always do not book us on the lowest logical fare and I can always find a cheaper fare online with the same fare restriction. For our travels in domestic US or Europe, they always book us on 2 separate airlines (hence 2 separate tickets and 2 separate AMEX booking charges) under the disguise that the timing is better. On one occasion, the AMEX TA even asked me is the booking class I a business or economy class fare code when I was trying to book on 9W. Seriously, I really wonder why my company is still using AMEX as our corporate TA.

Until such time when a good TA (corporate or personal) can demonstrate that they do indeed provide a service that is good or can't be provided directly by the airlines, it is difficult for them to demand booking fees from passengers and commissions from airlines at the same time.

These days the commissions are negligble or non existant. I agree with you that good service should be complemented by the service fee and vice versa.

[9V-JKL]

Chris, you're probably one of the few TAs that actually bothers to do this kind of work. My experience with Corp TAs is like Doraemon. They just find whatever's available with little regard to cost. I currently need to spoon-fed my TA on flights/fares

[Chris]

Chris, you're probably one of the few TAs that actually bothers to do this kind of work. My experience with Corp TAs is like Doraemon. They just find whatever's available with little regard to cost. I currently need to spoon-fed my TA on flights/fares

I've been doing this for long enough to know (and am successful enough to know), that a little hard work goes a long way in the long run. It all comes back to experience and a passion, just like anything. Doctor/lawyer/engineer/mechanic etc.

[KeithMEL]

If a client asks for a SQ flight I am sure the FC consultant will still sell them the space.

FC has sent out an email advising that they'll still sell SQ tickets, but SQ is no longer one of their 'preferred' partners. This means that when consultants look up fares on the GDS, the SQ fares will only appear after the preferred suppliers.

[SMK77]

Prefer my TA over SQ to book my tickets - although I have to pay more money.

Called PPS Service to get prices for B & Y fares for SIN-SYD. SQ staff completely clueless - puts me on hold for 10 minutes and comes back with E-fares that I can look up in 10 seconds on the internet. Puts me through to another person - totally clueless as how to book a mixed ticket in B & E. I was under the impression that SQ's main business was selling tickets - but training for staff seems to be unacceptable. The incompetence was at least unbearable.

Called my TA and ticket was done in three minutes. They issued it on the spot and I could call LH ten minutes later for my upgrade.

SQ supervisor called back and apologized - I would recommend to train people properly before they pick up the phone.

[Chris]

Called PPS Service to get prices for B & Y fares for SIN-SYD. SQ staff completely clueless - puts me on hold for 10 minutes and comes back with E-fares that I can look up in 10 seconds on the internet. Puts me through to another person - totally clueless as how to book a mixed ticket in B & E. I was under the impression that SQ's main business was selling tickets - but training for staff seems to be unacceptable. The incompetence was at least unbearable.

Another good point, we can act as an intermediatory between the res teams and the client - believe me this is worth it's weight in gold sometimes!

[trekkie]

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[Gunnar Smithsen]

I've heard Fright Centre is "turning the screw on SQ"

[LionCity]

Prefer my TA over SQ to book my tickets - although I have to pay more money.

Called PPS Service to get prices for B & Y fares for SIN-SYD. SQ staff completely clueless - puts me on hold for 10 minutes and comes back with E-fares that I can look up in 10 seconds on the internet. Puts me through to another person - totally clueless as how to book a mixed ticket in B & E. I was under the impression that SQ's main business was selling tickets - but training for staff seems to be unacceptable. The incompetence was at least unbearable.

Called my TA and ticket was done in three minutes. They issued it on the spot and I could call LH ten minutes later for my upgrade.

SQ supervisor called back and apologized - I would recommend to train people properly before they pick up the phone.

Personally, I think the PPS Service Line is probably not the best equipped for handling ticketing issues. The TA and the ticketing/reservation line is probably better equipped. In the past, what the more experienced service officer that served my call did was to connect me on a priority basis to their ticketing officer.

[huaiwei]

Got the below response from Flight centre

Dear trekkie

There is a current contracting situation between Flight Centre and
Singapore Airlines which will see a change to our normal procedures at
present. You should be able to make your travel booking with one of our
agents however. They are fully aware of the revised booking procedures
which shouldn't impact you greatly.

Kind Regards,
xxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxx | Flight Centre Limited
Level 3 | 545 Queen Street Brisbane QLD 4000 | Ph: 1800 117 747 | Fax:
(07) 3170 7555


the way i see it. SQ doesn't want to pay for TA behind the scenes work and is overly confident on its marketing and demand by customers.

If anything, that email actually alludes to SQ's confidence. Why would FC turn around and say it will "still sell SQ tickets, just not prioritise them". instead of sticking to its "stop sell" order, if it is not worried about loosing SQ's business?