The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is calling on all travel industry suppliers to liberalize their cancellation and…
The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is calling on all travel industry suppliers to liberalize their cancellation and re-booking fees in light of the coalition war with Iraq. Additionally, ASTA is asking airline carriers to waive their fees for issuing paper-tickets.
ASTA President and CEO Richard M. Copland, CTC, said, As an industry, we understand that traveling at a time of military conflict can be extremely stressful for people, and consumers may feel more comfortable postponing or otherwise changing their plans. Given the seriousness of the situation and the stress that this war will have on an already weakened travel industry, it is our hope that industry leaders will be understanding of Americans` cautions and change their cancellation and refund policies to be more flexible, encouraging travelers to book now.
Especially in difficult times, we need to work as a unified travel industry. Already some suppliers have altered their cancellation and rebooking policies in light of the current situation. They are to be commended, Copland continued. We also are asking airlines to re-examine their policies on charging for issuing paper tickets. While e-tickets can help travelers avoid long check-in lines at airports, there are still some problems related to interlining. Paper tickets remain the preferred ticket type when it comes to transferring to another carrier in the event a passenger needs to rebook.
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