THE travel trade is strangely silent on
the issue of Iata financial guarantees.
At the recent Iata passenger agency
conference, I understand that there
were changes to the criteria, which
include that every agent will have to
put up a guarantee.
There will be no credit given for
agents of long standing. For example,
my company has had an Iata
accreditation for 42 years and has
not defaulted once during that period.
I expect to be handled differently to
new agents.
This will seriously affect small
agencies such as mine. At the
moment I have a zero guarantee.
I can imagine this will mean many
agencies will hand back their Iata
appointments and buy tickets from
head offices. I suppose if you are
Bidvest, it’s simple to get a guarantee
from the bank.
I find it absolutely unbelievable that
the agency contingent of the APJC
has agreed that these changes have
gone to PAConf for ratification.
We hear very little about
defaults in this market yet
it appears that carriers are
not prepared to take any risk
in doing business. I have to
take risk from my clients; it’s
a normal business practice in
all industries.
The silence is perplexing.
I can only see dark days
ahead.
David Pegg
Md, Sure Viva Travels.
