| November 3, 2009 | News for travel agents |
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| Business and Industry Watch |  | |
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- Travel agents use psychology to best serve clients
The most successful salespeople, irrespective of which industry they are in, have an astute understanding of human nature. Travel agents can use such an understanding to find the perfect trip for their clients. "If you don't truly understand what the customer is going to be getting out of their vacation, you might miss the mark in terms of what you recommend to them or what you're marketing to them," said Jack Mannix, president and CEO at Ensemble. Travel Agent
(11/2)
     
- Questions arise about whether negotiated hotel, airline rates will stick
Each year at about this time, travel-management companies negotiate hotel and airline rates for the following year for the corporate clients. Last year, economic chaos surrounded the annual ritual, prompting rates to be renegotiated several times. Now, as the travel managers are negotiating rates, many industry insiders are wondering whether the rates will stick or continually be renegotiated as they were last year. The New York Times
(11/2)
- Europe's flagship airlines find low-cost carriers problematic
Low-cost carriers have long been a nuisance to flagship airlines in Europe. The economic downturn turned those small nuisances into a major problem for their larger rivals. For example, the Irish airline Ryanair transported more passengers in Spain in August than the country's flagship carrier Iberia. Deteriorating demand for trans-Atlantic flights and business-class seats exposed weaknesses, but some of the major airlines are starting to wise up. The Wall Street Journal
(11/3)
| Trends and Technology | | |
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- Continental's incoming CEO on alliances, biofuels
Jeff Smisek, soon to take over as CEO of Continental Airlines, says last week's switch to the Star Alliance leaves Continental better positioned in Asia and provides many of the benefits of a merger without the attendant risks. Smisek tells The Telegraph of London that oil price swings continue to be a major concern and that commercially viable biofuels remain one of the industry's great hopes. "You must have air transportation, and it will always exist," he says. "The question is how large will that industry be? At high fuel prices, it will be much smaller." Telegraph (London)
(11/1)
- Column: Secure Flight runs into a little turbulence
Columnist Joe Sharkey says that although there are plenty of people trying to ensure the Secure Flight program is successful, travelers are still running into some obstacles. The Transportation Security Administration program requires that all airline passengers' names on their ID and boarding passes match exactly. In the first phase of the program, which we're currently in, some leeway will be given. However, some travelers say they have already run into issues with the program because their names include characters, such as hyphens or apostrophes, that don't make it onto the boarding pass. The New York Times
(11/2)
| Home-Based Agent Update | | |
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- Sabre CEO Gilliland discusses GDSs' complex environment
Columnist Arnie Weissmann explains that global distribution systems are in a delicate position as they balance the interests, which are often competing, of their wide variety of partners, including home-based travel agents, traditional agencies, online travel agencies, airlines and others. Of course, they must also consider their own interests. Weissmann spoke with Sam Gilliland, CEO at Sabre, which includes the online travel agency Travelocity as well as the home-based agent consortium Nexium. Gilliland offers his take on the complex business environment for GDSs. Travel Weekly
(11/2)
| Consumer Travel News | | |
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- Barcelona's public gardens, courtyards offer refuge
The Eixample is a district of Barcelona located between the old city and what used to be small towns surrounding the larger center. It features awe-inspiring architecture and shops filled with handmade chocolates, interesting furniture and tapas, for which the country is famous. Behind the grand facades in Eixample, however, small public gardens and courtyards can be found. These public spaces offer travelers and locals alike a refuge from the rush of urban life and a more intimate glimpse into daily life in Barcelona. The New York Times
(11/1)
| Regulatory and Legislative | | |
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- Congress considers banning laptops in airline cockpits
Sen. Byron Dorgan, chairman of the Senate's aviation subcommittee, said he expects to introduce legislation soon that would prohibit the use of personal electronic devices, such as laptops, in airline cockpits. The measure is a response to the incident where a Northwest Airlines plane overshot its destination by 150 miles. The pilots said they had been distracted because they were using laptops. Chicago Tribune/The Associated Press
(11/3)
- Taxes on rental cars continue to rise
In 1990, there were 14 excise taxes levied for car rentals or leases. Since then, another 100 have been added, covering 43 states as well as the District of Columbia. The taxes make it difficult for travelers to avoid them, and in some cases the taxes are upward of 20% of the car rental bill. The taxes are costly to travelers and a nuisance to rental car companies that would rather not become tax collectors. Despite efforts to rein in the taxes, they are proliferating as municipalities look for revenue to cover their shortfalls. USA TODAY
(11/3)
- Column: Passenger-rights legislation must not be forgotten
Columnist George Dooley says that although lawmakers' agenda is crowded for the remainder of this year and well into next year, the passenger-rights legislation should not be forgotten. Dooley says that travel agents should help the passenger-rights efforts as they have a vested interest in ending tarmac delays. "In fact, grass roots involvement by agents and the travel industry may be the only way to get meaningful protection for the traveling public," he writes. Travel Agent
(11/2)
| Best Practices | | |
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| ASTA Spotlight | | |
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Supplier webinars from NACTA
If you want to hear about the latest offerings from the top cruise lines and tour operators, then check out the extensive calendar of events on NACTA's Web site. Open to all agents, these webinars will give you a competitive edge. Click here.
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Getting your voice heard on the hill
Your congressman works for you -- well, sort of. They're your representatives in Congress; you elect them and pay their salary, and in return they work on behalf of their districts and -- ideally -- for the common good. If your congressman doesn't know something is a problem, you cannot expect him to address it. Join Colin Tooze, ASTA's vice president of government affairs, for Grassroots 101: How to take ASTA's message directly to Congress, where he will provide a fresh look on how to meet with your congressman and get your voice heard.
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | Bore, n.: A person who talks when you wish him to listen."
--Ambrose Bierce,
journalist, satirist, as quoted from his "Devil's Dictionary"
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