Travel agencies demand 9 % commission on all airlines ticket

Mumbai, July 21 (UNI) Opposing the withdrawal of commission on air tickets to travel agencies from October, Travel Agents Fraternity of India (TAFI) today demanded nine per cent commission on all airline tickets.

Addressing a meeting of the accredited agents on the issue, city-based Tulip Travel Services CEO Kamal Ramchandran said earlier the commission on tickets of all the airlines was reduced from nine to five per cent, and now the airlines authorities had issued a notification that the commission would be done away with, from October.

He said they wanted the commission to be restored to nine per cent. The travel agent associations, including Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), will hold a meeting with managements of all airlines in New Delhi on July 24.

Talking to UNI, TAFI General Secretary Ajay Prakash said the air travel agents are worried about their future orders from regular customers. He said big agents will not face any problems, as they will earn special bonuses, instead of commission, from airlines by raising the volume of business. However, most of the small time agencies will be forced to shut down, he added.

Mr Prakash said, ''when a similar decision was taken in the US, early this year, 30 per cent travel agents had shut. Here, if the airlines want to stop commission, it should be done in phases.'' UNI AR RN MP BD1940