Fliers up, up and away at the post office

[oz_mark]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18360921%5E2702,00.html

JETSTAR is stepping up its campaign to sell airline tickets at post offices.

The budget airline is seeking fresh talks with state and territory governments in expectation of a statement by the Standing Committee of Officials for Consumer Affairs later this month on its request to exempt Australia Post from travel agent licensing requirements and the Travel Compensation Fund.

Jetstar says it wants to start selling tickets in more than 3000 Australia Post outlets to cater for those people, particularly in rural areas, who do not have access to internet sales.

 

[Guest]

particularly in rural areas, who do not have access to internet sales.

what a joke

 

[Damien]

Can I assume that all the post office is going to do is purchase tickets off jetstar.com and charge a premium for the service? If so, what's to stop any small business with a modem from doing the same thing?

 

[oz_mark]

Can I assume that all the post office is going to do is purchase tickets off jetstar.com and charge a premium for the service? If so, what's to stop any small business with a modem from doing the same thing?

The travel agent licensing requirements and the Travel Compensation Fund. For this to work, then those issues need to be resolved. Now if anyone with a modem could manage to get an exemption, then I guess nothing stops them.

 

[JohnK]

I can't see any reason why Australia Post should not be able to sell airline tickets. You can do most things at a post office these days including passport applications and renewals.

I don't see them being able to compete with the Flight Centres and Harvey World Travels but give them a chance and if they are able to help out some people then all the better

As for charging a premium on the airfare, that is OK as long as there is someone stupid enough that is prepared to pay the premium. Australia Post will not be the sole agents for JetStar so there are other choices!

 

[Guest]

not to mention a large percentage of australia posts are privately owned and run.

 

[GDSman]

My sense is that the desire to sell via Aust Post is less around helping people without internet access and more around getting sales from people unwilling to transact online. Jetstar is not agent friendly today so this is a great strategy for them - they're not risking upsetting anyone who might deliver revenue to them. They are very focussed on their objectives to protect brand and price integrity (see also the recent farehunter thread).
For agents its yet another attack on their business model - not that they earn anything much out of a Jetstar sale but because a low revenue domestic pax may become an international pax in the future so is worth having on your books. They will fight this very hard and point to Ansett, Air Paradise and Traveland as signs of what can go wrong when travel supply isn't bonded. Should be interesting.

 

[thadocta]

The one thing australia Post have going for them is being federal government owned. They cannot crash, and all monies paid are guaranteed by the government. I cannot see TCF and TA membership (or lack of it) being an issue here.

Dave

 

[Yada Yada]

You can do most things at a post office these days including passport applications and renewals.

Yes, you're right. And I think this is why customer queues in the POs are generally out the door every time I go there. Can you imagine how much longer they will be when Mr & Mrs Public are standing at the counter trying to decide what flight they will take... "Hey darl, look at moi, what about if we take the earlier flight so we can do some shopping in Cairns airport before our flight to Honolulu?". :roll:

 

[JohnK]

You can do most things at a post office these days including passport applications and renewals.

Yes, you're right. And I think this is why customer queues in the POs are generally out the door every time I go there. Can you imagine how much longer they will be when Mr & Mrs Public are standing at the counter trying to decide what flight they will take... "Hey darl, look at moi, what about if we take the earlier flight so we can do some shopping in Cairns airport before our flight to Honolulu?". :roll:

Agree with you that somedays the queues at Australia Post can be murder.

I am not convinced that Australia Post will become a one stop shop for all airfares on all airlines. They do not have the personnel with the experience to be able to offer this service. If they did they would have a dedicated person to take care of airfares so would not really affect other queues. I also think they will just be selling el cheapo point to point airfares probably only for Jetstar. As for the demand to buy airfares at Australia Post we will have to wait and see.

In my experience Australia Post has a very low focus on quality customer service including length of waiting time in queues. Australia Post has taken on so much new business to improve their bottom line yet have not responded with the staff to provide the adequate level of service. Banks, supermarkets also fall into this category. But that is business in the 21st century, it is all about bottom line not the customer.

 

[coyote25]

JohnK could not agree with you more. Walked past Australia Post outlet the other day and the line was out the door and down the street :!:

They might as well sell Jetstar tickets with everything else they sell. I suppose they might pick up some sales in more rural areas. I'm waiting for the day the Gov tries to sell off Australia Post. I mean they raise so much revenue from non core work (billpay, keying tax returns etc), all they need is an actual banking license and they are set to be a big corporate making heaps.

Australia Post has made it alot easier on the big bank to close branches and push the low value customers away. Jetstar being a low cost business is just following suit. Persanally I'll only fly Jetstar if I have no choice, which unfortunately QANTAS have realised and they are taking away the choice :evil:

 

[straitman]

The one thing australia Post have going for them is being federal government owned. They cannot crash, and all monies paid are guaranteed by the government. I cannot see TCF and TA membership (or lack of it) being an issue here.

Dave

I must agree with thadocta, however I see this as the only plus in the equation.

The lines out the door will be caused by both the customers and the lack of knowledge by the staff. In between taking passport applications they and booking tickets will they start selling accommodation packages :?: When will they actually have time to deal with any postal issues. Heaven forbid the service is bordering on poathetic at present let alone adding flight booking.

In summary ...... I think it's a stupid idea :!: :evil: :twisted: :roll:

 

[one9]

I think it is a good idea.

Why?

Because there is a very small percentage of the population (mostly in rural and aboriginal areas) where some people (especially older generation) have not embraced the Internet nor the philosphy of doing important or financial matters on the phone. There are people who get very stressed trying to navigate phone banking, and find the options just bombard them.

There are still some older people out there who need the confidence of another person to help them with such things. And not all older people have a son, husband, carer etc. to assist them.

I would think these members of the community would find paying a service charge to make a booking at their post office to be good value.

 

[thadocta]

Perhaps (and it is JUST a perhaps) - DeathStar will do this the way Countrylink (the NSW government owned passenger rail service) are doing it.

Namely, phone the operator, make your booking, given a fare quote and a reference number, you then have 72 hours to get to Aussie Post and pay for it (and in the case of Countrylink, get the paper ticket issued).

This would tally with Aussie Post being nothing more than a receipting agency, rather than an actual travel agency.

Thoughts?

Dave

 

[NM]

This would tally with Aussie Post being nothing more than a receipting agency, rather than an actual travel agency.

And while your there paying for you ticket, you could have the recipt posted back to your home address for an extra 50c. An added service for those without email to receive the e-ticket receipt 8) .

 

[straitman]

Perhaps (and it is JUST a perhaps) - DeathStar will do this the way Countrylink (the NSW government owned passenger rail service) are doing it.

Namely, phone the operator, make your booking, given a fare quote and a reference number, you then have 72 hours to get to Aussie Post and pay for it (and in the case of Countrylink, get the paper ticket issued).

This would tally with Aussie Post being nothing more than a receipting agency, rather than an actual travel agency.

Thoughts?

Dave

That would certainly work. I guess my concern is that non FF type people being let loose in the death* network would/could be in for a real shock.

On the other hand, as they say "ignorance is bliss"

:wink: 8)