Over 3,653 Canadian travel agency owners, managers, agents, and even consumers, have signed ACTA’s call to action for Air Canada to immediately reverse their May 2nd misguided anti-consumer move and to…
Over 3,653 Canadian travel agency owners, managers, agents, and even consumers, have signed ACTA’s call to action for Air Canada to immediately reverse their May 2nd misguided anti-consumer move and to roll back their Tango fares on travel agencies channels (GDSs and Air Canada’s agent Website).
Of course, retail travel professionals understand the importance of adapting and they appreciate that the travel industry has worked hard to make the market as efficient as possible. Implicit in this market efficiency are harmonious and reciprocal business relationships, a concept well entrenched between retail travel professionals and their clients. Despite the recent unfortunate events, we believe there is still time for Air Canada to commit itself to fostering the same relationships with retail travel professionals, who are, after all, its primary drivers for brand loyalty and revenue. Working together on behalf of our mutual customers is clearly a much better route.
With such unprecedented support from the retail travel community, ACTA is calling on Air Canada and the GDSs to end the current crisis by immediately rolling back all of their fare actions taken since May 2, which would restore Tango fares to the GDSs and stop the delisting of Air Canada services in the GDSs, wrote Christiane Théberge, Vice-President, Public Affairs at ACTA in a letter accompanying the 3,653 signatures sent yesterday to Air Canada CEO, Montie Brewer.
ACTA wishes to thank everyone who stood up and spoke out against Air Canada’s decision to remove Tango fares from travel agencies’ channels. It is now up to Air Canada to choose dialogue over conflict in its dealings with the retail travel industry to avoid a repeat of the kinds of tumultuous times we have all experienced since the May 2 announcement.
Below are ACTA`s letter of support and the letter that ACTA sent to Montie Brewer, Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.
Letter of Support
Stand up and speak out against Air Canada’s decision to remove Tango fares from travel agencies channels. In the middle of the night on May 2, without warning, Air Canada removed their lowest fares from the Global Distribution Systems used by the travel industry, including Sabre, Galileo and Amadeus and their own agent Website.
Removing Air Canada Tango fares from the GDSs limits consumer information and choice, making it difficult and confusing for travelers to find the lowest fares, restricting travelers’ buying options. It also limits the valuable and trusted service and support customers get from travel agents. Finally, the travel industry has worked hard to make the market as efficient as possible. Air Canada’s unexpected decision undermines efficiency to the detriment of consumers and travel agents.
Air Canada’s actions affect the whole of the travel industry – especially travel consumers – and we should all be up in arms. Major players within the travel industry, including the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA), the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), the Canadian Corporate Travel Association (CCTA), the Business Travel Coalition (BTC) and others are coming together to ask Air Canada to reverse its decision. All members of this group believe that consumers should have full access to information, choice and support with respect to the purchase of their airline tickets.
By banding together, we gain strength and can show Air Canada that we will not accept their decision to limit consumers’ choice, compromise market efficiency, and undermine travel agencies.
Together we call on Air Canada to immediately reverse this misguided, anti-consumer move and to once again put these important fares back into the systems that travel agencies use to serve their consumers in an efficient and cost-effective way.
The letter that ACTA sent to Montie Brewer
Dear Mr Brewer:
You will find enclosed a Call to Action signed by more than 3687 Canadian travel agency owners, managers, agents and, even consumers, who have expressed their profound disappointment concerning the unprofessional manner in which they were treated by Air Canada with respect to the removal of Tango fares from the GDSs and your agent Website without warning or consultation.
Retail travel professionals feel that removing such important low-fare inventory from the reservation channels they use discriminates against them and their clients, frustrating efforts to automate and consolidate all traveler bookings, and interrupts the workflow of their travel management companies. In summary, it undermines efficiency to the detriment of consumers.
Of course, retail travel professionals understand the importance of adapting and they appreciate that the travel industry has worked hard to make the market as efficient as possible. Implicit in this market efficiency are harmonious and reciprocal business relationships, a concept well entrenched between retail travel professionals and their clients.
Unfortunately, it is apparent, and frankly saddening, that this isn’t the kind of relationships Air Canada is intent on fostering with retail travel professionals, which are, after all, its primary drivers for brand loyalty and revenue.
With such unprecedented support from the retail travel service community, ACTA is calling on Air Canada and the GDSs to work in good faith to find sustainable solutions to not only put these important fares back into the systems, but also to make sure GDS technology is flexible enough to support what Air Canada calls “simplified fare products.” ACTA calls on Air Canada to choose dialogue over conflict in its dealings with the retail travel industry to avoid a repeat of the tumultuous times we have all experienced since the May 2 announcement.
Retail travel professionals would like to go on with their business doing what they do best, serve their customers in an efficient and cost-effective way, and are hoping Air Canada and the GDSs will find a better way forward.
Sincerely,
Christiane Théberge
Vice-President, Public Affairs
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
