GSA question

[CoyBoy]

What exactly does a General Sales Agency do for an airline, why do they represent airlines flying into a country rather than just those that do not fly there nor can afford to maintain their own offices for the same reason.

Who are Pakistans leading GSA's and which airliens do they represent? I know of some:

MARHABA AVIATION - Gulf Air/Gulf Traveller all of Pakistan

SOUTHERN TRAVELS - Saudi Arabian in all of Northern Pakistan except Islamabad and Lahore.

GERRY'S - Virgin Atlantic, BMI, Garuda, United, NWA

KASHMIRWALLA AVIATION - Royal Brunei, Asiana, Philippines, Qantas, China Airlines, TAP, South African, Vietnam Airlines.

LAKSON TRAVELS - Air Macau.

TRADE WINDS - Air Canada, Varig, China Southern, Ethiopian, Cathay Pacific.

AKBER ENTERPRISES - JAL, Singapore Airlines, Silk Air, Royal Nepal, Sri Lankan, Thai, Yemenia, Royal Jordanian, Austrian, Swiss, SAS, Iberia, Viva(spain), Aerolineas Argentinas.

VENUS AVIATION - Iran Aseman, Tajikistan Airlines

AERO ASIA - Air Sahara

PIA - Ariana Afghan.

Who represents Finnair, Korean Air, Continental, Malaysia, Lufthansa, Kenya Airways, Oman Air, U.S Airways.

How come no ANA and Aer Lingus GSA's yet?

[behramjee]

Marhaba Aviation - Gulf Air/Gulf Traveller all of Pakistan

Since 1 year they got GF and GFT GSA but had their cargo GSA for many years. As soon as they got the GSA they reduced the salaries of the GF staff office located at Kashif Centre causing some of them to leave...one of those female staff members are now part of CX KHIs work force.

Southern Travels - Saudi Arabian in all of Northern Pakistan except Islamabad.

Never heard of them...though they must be minting money with the 12% commission they get per SV seat sold out of LHE and PEW.

Gerry's - Virgin Atlantic, BMI, Garuda, United,

Very shady fraudalent group. They lost Oman Air, Northwest, US AIR and Aeroflot GSAs because they defaulted on RS 60 million owed to these airlines...this resulted in Oman Air suspending its B 727 operated flights to LHE and KHI. They pay their staff PEANUTS and their main money making machine is GSA of FED EX.

Kashmirwalla - Royal Brunei, Asiana, Philippines, Qantas, China Airlines, TAP, South African, Vietnam Airlines.

U forgot the most important...TURKISH AIRLINES...this company is worse than Gerrys when it comes to Staff Salary levels.

Akbar Enterprises - JAL, Singapore Airlines, Silk Air, Royal Nepal, Sri Lankan, Thai, Yemenia, Royal Jordanian, Austrian, Swiss, SAS, Iberia, Viva(spain), Aerolineas Argentinas.

Now here is a professionally run company with intelligent staff and a dynamic visionary leader. I worked for them in Summer 2001 and I still meet Mr Akbar every year whenever I go back to KHI as he is very fond of me and we email each other on a frequent basis...the same close relationship I have with his wonderful daughter Laeeq Akbar who was my boss at AZ KHI. Btw they just got UPS GSA in Pakistan.

PIA - Ariana Afghan.

lol...an airline being the GSA of another airline hahaha.

Trade Winds - Air Canada, Varig, China Southern, Ethiopian, Cathay Pacific.

Trade Winds is no longer the GSA of these airlines. CX is under AVIATION SERVICES and these other airlines GSA's were sold to ALI GOHAR ENTERPRISES.

I have worked for CX KHI under Aviation Services for 3 summers...very very nice people and an intelligent staff in all depts.

[behramjee]

What exactly does a General Sales Agency do for an airline, why do they represent airlines flying into a country rather than just those that do not fly there nor can afford to maintain their own offices for the same reason.

GSAs gets 12% commission for every seat sold from that country it has the GSA in. So you can imagine the kind of money Akbar Group used to make when TG-UL-SQ-RJ-AZ-LX were all online carriers in Pakistan in the 1980s and 1990s.

GSAs also get 1% commission on handling airline's ground and air operations including overflight rights...so anytime SWISS flies to the Far East it has to do so via PAK airspace and its GSA gets a cut of it in order to handle its admin duties.

GSAs are good for the airline because the airline pays for NOTHING as the GSA pays office rent + staff salaries etc...GSAs is the best way to go for an airline if it is an OFFLINE CARRIER in a city/country. Even if it is ONLINE with a small presence in a country like 2-4 weekly flights only...having a GSA is more desirable.

[CoyBoy]

Tell Akbar to get Aer Lingus since they'll now be flying from Dubai.

Oman Air were flying thrice weekly 737-700 in 2003 to KHI, never knew they did LHE.

[behramjee]

Aer Lingus's office is at Hotel Metropole and the same ppl who have Finnair GSA have Aer Lingus's as well.