Flight Centre leads charge against fuel surcharges

[Flashback]

Flight Centre leads charge against fuel surcharges | NEWS.com.au

FLIGHT Centre has released a list of airlines and how much they charge customers in fuel surcharges. Managing director of the travel agency retailer, Graham Turner had vowed to lead the charge against airlines who insist on advertising fares exclusive of charges and levies.

 

[Mal]

Seeing they backed out of the Fuel Surcharge law suit against certain airlines for 'commercial reasons'. I'm not sure how much they actually think they can do about the situation.

Nice to see though that they produced a document showing how much we are being shafted by each airline.

 

[Flashback]

One step at a time I guess...

 

[Standby]

Seeing they backed out of the Fuel Surcharge law suit against certain airlines for 'commercial reasons'. I'm not sure how much they actually think they can do about the situation.

Nice to see though that they produced a document showing how much we are being shafted by each airline.

This from a travel company that openly admits to making a large proportion of their profit by way of their own own surcharges..booking change fees etc over and above the airline fees....Pot Kettle I say

 

[JohnK]

I agree with what Flight Centre is doing even though they are mainly doing it for their own benefit.

If enough people jump up and down it may eventually cause some changes....

 

[Travel Guru]

This from a travel company that openly admits to making a large proportion of their profit by way of their own own surcharges..booking change fees etc over and above the airline fees....Pot Kettle I say

I hardly think you can compare an appropriate and very reasonable service charge with an exorbitant fuel surcharge?????

TG

 

[Flashback]

I hardly think you can compare an appropriate and very reasonable service charge with an exorbitant fuel surcharge?????

TG

My thoughts, too.....

 

[simongr]

I hardly think you can compare an appropriate and very reasonable service charge with an exorbitant fuel surcharge?????

TG

Setting aside the issue of disclosure of the fuel surcharge it might be unfair to call the surcharge exorbitant. Fuel prices have jumped significantly so passing that on to consumers is fair. Some might argue that charging $50 for booking a flight might be exorbitant.

I dont use a TA as for what I do the booking itself is a simple process and is frustrating that it can not be done online. For some people a TA is incredibly useful - horses for courses...

 

[Josh]

I think it's perfectly fine for FC to charge a service fee. If you want the convenience of someone else doing the work of booking your flight/holiday, you should pay for that service.
You do realise that FC make ZERO commission when they sell domestic flights?
Commission is only made on international flights, cars, hotels, insurance, etc.

However I was a bit unimpressed. I booked a QF flight last year with them (because i had a FC voucher). They charged me the ~$4 QF CC surcharge, then proceeded to charge me a FC CC surcharge on top of that (which is a % of the total amount). I think that is overstepping the mark a bit...

Cheers,

Josh

 

[Mal]

You do realise that FC make ZERO commission when they sell domestic flights?
Commission is only made on international flights, cars, hotels, insurance, etc.

While they make no immediate commission, I'm pretty sure most non-sale fares count towards their Overrides (a payment at the end of the year based on their sales), although the situation could have changed in the last little while.

 

[simongr]

Also why would anyone book domestic flights through FC unless booking as part of a bigger package on which they would make commission?

 

[Travel Guru]

While they make no immediate commission, I'm pretty sure most non-sale fares count towards their Overrides (a payment at the end of the year based on their sales), although the situation could have changed in the last little while.

You're right there Mal, but unfortunately the agents doing all the hard work don't receive any bonus based on over rides received so unless they charge a service charge, the consultant is working for free.

I do agree with the prior msgr that charging the Qantas CC charge and a % on the card is OTT, it was probably an inexperienced consultant who didn't realise you can ticket excluding the Qantas surcharge is you specify it.

TG

 

[Travel Guru]

Also why would anyone book domestic flights through FC unless booking as part of a bigger package on which they would make commission?

Some people just don't trust themselves...we have corporate clients who specify the flights for us, we book them, charge a $30 return surcharge and they are quite happy with letting someone else do it because they know it will be done properly.

TG

 

[Flashback]

That's how the company I work for does it.....

 

[NM]

Some people just don't trust themselves...we have corporate clients who specify the flights for us, we book them, charge a $30 return surcharge and they are quite happy with letting someone else do it because they know it will be done properly.

Yep, that is the value for me in our corp TA. Its too easy for people to make simple mistakes with dates etc. And then if I need to make a change, its one phone call and they change the flights, accommodation, car rental etc. That service is valuable to many people and justifies paying a service fee in my opinion.

 

[simongr]

Yep, that is the value for me in our corp TA. Its too easy for people to make simple mistakes with dates etc. And then if I need to make a change, its one phone call and they change the flights, accommodation, car rental etc. That service is valuable to many people and justifies paying a service fee in my opinion.

Again though you are seeing the benefit through the integrated package and having a single phone call to change all of that. I can see some benefit too for that.

However I have found two major corporate TAs to be completely worthless - poor rates, poor travel options, incorrect dates, inability to ticket DONE4s on AA to save money and poor timeliness of service.

NM your corp TA seems to do a great job but I have seen only uniformly poor results from Corp TAs.

In terms of trusting people to make correct bookings I would not see that getting a PA to email a TA with the details as any more reliable as booking a flight myself.

I agree that for a complete service a corp TA is very useful for some people - for me I email our local office to book hotels or book online myself and I wont trust anyone other than me to make my flight bookings.

 

[straitman]

Our corporate TA does a very good job. The real advantage in my case is they know the company travel policy backwards and keep the individual within the rules. (Our company does not have a sense of humour)

 

[Flashback]

Yep, that is the value for me in our corp TA. Its too easy for people to make simple mistakes with dates etc. And then if I need to make a change, its one phone call and they change the flights, accommodation, car rental etc. That service is valuable to many people and justifies paying a service fee in my opinion.

We just so happen to be in the same boat, don't we NM

 

[NM]

NM your corp TA seems to do a great job but I have seen only uniformly poor results from Corp TAs.

Yes, our Corp TA is generally very good. Most of the agents working there know me by name and I have always received great service.

I booked a DONE4 earlier this week. Gave the flight details over the phone and it was booked within the hour. One flight was waitlisted so I suggested via email looking at the AA codeshare on the same flight when I received an alert from EF of D1 availability late in the evening, and it was confirmed by 9am the next morning. They also arranged my seating requests that I sent through in the same email. And my accommodation and car rentals were confirmed at the same time.

And I asked about issuing via AA and it was suggested that it should not be a problem, though I will be believe that when I see it. There are more AA flights and miles in the ticket than any other carrier, but QF is the first international carrier.

I have never had to fight for interpretation about fare rules.

Domestic flights we book on-line through their portal that integrates into out corporate approval process.

I think they do a good job for the service fee they charge.

But if I was booking a holiday for my family, I would likely not use a TA.

 

[Standby]

I think it's perfectly fine for FC to charge a service fee. If you want the convenience of someone else doing the work of booking your flight/holiday, you should pay for that service.
You do realise that FC make ZERO commission when they sell domestic flights?
Commission is only made on international flights, cars, hotels, insurance, etc.

However I was a bit unimpressed. I booked a QF flight last year with them (because i had a FC voucher). They charged me the ~$4 QF CC surcharge, then proceeded to charge me a FC CC surcharge on top of that (which is a % of the total amount). I think that is overstepping the mark a bit...

Cheers,

Josh

Whilst dom commissions are very low to Zero upfront..FC(and other large chains) DO get backend commissions based on volume of business they generate