KARACHI (May 10 2006): Several travel agents have been de-linked from the Central Reservation System (CRS) of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from May 6. The step appears to have been taken to discourage travel agents from blocking seats on fake bookings.
Although PIA imposes fine in case the seat is not utilised, the amount is so insignificant that it has not deterred travel agents from indulging blocking the seats, which results in heavy losses to the national carrier.
Experience shows that when PIA sales offices are approached for by the passengers for seats, they are told that the flights are over-booked, but when they approach travel agents, they get the seats on the same flights on which PIA sales offices find themselves helpless in obliging the passengers.
In the past also, PIA had tried to tame the travel agents, but the move did not work and the practice of blocking of seats continued unabated.
The Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP) has, however, expressed shock over travel agents switching off from the CRS. TAAP considers this move as a message from PIA, ie "do not sell us."
In a letter to PIA Marketing Director Asadullah Saleem, TAAP Chairman M. Nadeem Sharif said: "TAAP strongly condemns this action by the national carrier and considers it against national interest. Furthermore, you are well aware that 90 percent of PIA sales is generated by travel agents and any adverse reaction by them will greatly affect PIA sales and the consequent loss to the national exchequer."
TAAP demanded immediate restoration of CRS system of affected travel agents and has desired a meeting with the Marketing Director to sort out issues existing between TAAP and PIA.
Source: www.brecorder.com
Several travel agents de-linked from PIA's CRS
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Several travel agents de-linked from PIA's CRS
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PIA clarification
KARACHI (May 11 2006): Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has accepted that "a total of 91 agents were de-linked from the central reservation system (CRS)".
In a clarification relating to de-linking of travel agents from CRS issued here on Wednesday, PIA has further accepted that "after recovering Rs 2.24 million from 52 travel agents they were again linked to the CRS".
The Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP) in a letter sent to the PIA Marketing director earlier this month had described the de-linking of travel agents as a message from PIA, ie, "do not sell us".
TAAP Chairman Nadeem Sharif strongly condemned the action by the national carrier and considered it "against the national interest" and demanded "immediate restoration of CRS of affected travel agents".
The clarification said, while improvement is visible in all areas of the activity, PIA reservation has undergone major enhancement in its system to optimise utilisation of capacity and ensure availability of seats to genuine passengers.
One of the steps taken in this direction was to curtail and eliminate the practice of certain agencies of inserting fictitious ticket numbers in the PNRs to block the inventory. All selling outlets were advised to strictly refrain from feeding incorrect ticketing details or else the airline would be constrained to take punitive action.
It also said, "Unfortunately, the response from the agencies left much to be desired and the airline was left with no other alternative, but to penalise agents who were resorting to such irregular and unfair practices. Based on specific criteria, penalty amounts were levied and in case of non-settlement the agency was denied access to PIA reservation system.
"In the first phase, limited number of agencies were penalised to send a message across the market for other agents to stop the practice of insertion of fictitious ticket numbers in bookings. Subsequently, the action was extended to whole range of agencies involved in the irregularity to totally eliminate this practice in the market."
Since the objective is to eliminate blocking of reservation inventory, it is hoped that the agencies would stop feeding fictitious ticket details in the PNRs and follow the correct laid down procedures to avoid being penalised. "This is not only in the interest of the airline and the customers, but would also benefit agents, as increased capacity would be available for genuine selling activities."
Source: Business Recorder
KARACHI (May 11 2006): Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has accepted that "a total of 91 agents were de-linked from the central reservation system (CRS)".
In a clarification relating to de-linking of travel agents from CRS issued here on Wednesday, PIA has further accepted that "after recovering Rs 2.24 million from 52 travel agents they were again linked to the CRS".
The Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP) in a letter sent to the PIA Marketing director earlier this month had described the de-linking of travel agents as a message from PIA, ie, "do not sell us".
TAAP Chairman Nadeem Sharif strongly condemned the action by the national carrier and considered it "against the national interest" and demanded "immediate restoration of CRS of affected travel agents".
The clarification said, while improvement is visible in all areas of the activity, PIA reservation has undergone major enhancement in its system to optimise utilisation of capacity and ensure availability of seats to genuine passengers.
One of the steps taken in this direction was to curtail and eliminate the practice of certain agencies of inserting fictitious ticket numbers in the PNRs to block the inventory. All selling outlets were advised to strictly refrain from feeding incorrect ticketing details or else the airline would be constrained to take punitive action.
It also said, "Unfortunately, the response from the agencies left much to be desired and the airline was left with no other alternative, but to penalise agents who were resorting to such irregular and unfair practices. Based on specific criteria, penalty amounts were levied and in case of non-settlement the agency was denied access to PIA reservation system.
"In the first phase, limited number of agencies were penalised to send a message across the market for other agents to stop the practice of insertion of fictitious ticket numbers in bookings. Subsequently, the action was extended to whole range of agencies involved in the irregularity to totally eliminate this practice in the market."
Since the objective is to eliminate blocking of reservation inventory, it is hoped that the agencies would stop feeding fictitious ticket details in the PNRs and follow the correct laid down procedures to avoid being penalised. "This is not only in the interest of the airline and the customers, but would also benefit agents, as increased capacity would be available for genuine selling activities."
Source: Business Recorder
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