Swiss will be charging a new Swiss Service Fee for its ticketing services in its home Swiss market from January 3, 2005 onwards…
Swiss will be charging a new Swiss Service Fee for its ticketing services in its home Swiss market from January 3, 2005 onwards. The new fee will be levied for its advisory and processing services in selling SWISS air tickets, and will apply to all sales at SWISS ticket desks, via the SWISS Call Centres and on the SWISS website.
For direct sales to the customer (at a SWISS ticket desk or via a SWISS Call Centre) the SWISS Service Fee will amount to CHF 50.00 per ticket for European flights and CHF 80.00 per ticket for intercontinental flights. For tickets bought online, a flat SWISS Service Fee of CHF 25.00 per ticket will be charged. SWISS will, however continue to make its Web Specials and its two lowest European fare categories available on its website exempt from any service fee, to compete more effectively with the low-cost carriers.
A new distribution model
SWISS unveiled its new and more transparent 2005 Distribution Model to the travel sector back in June 2004. Under the new model, the price paid for any SWISS ticket will consist of two components, which will be shown separately on the ticket. The first of these will consist of the fare, all airport user fees and any other flight-related surcharges. The second will be the SWISS Service Fee. The new approach will enable customers to distinguish clearly between the price they pay for their journey by air and the service fee they are charged for the advisory, booking and ticket-issuing services provided by SWISS.
In adopting its new distribution model, SWISS is following a global trend within the air transport sector. With the competitive environment currently undergoing radical change, airlines are seeking all possible ways of reducing their expenditure, including their distribution costs.
Tickets for children aged 2 to 11 will be subject to a 50% Swiss Service Fee (unless they are booked via the www.swiss.com website), provided the applicable fare permits a child`s reduction for the flight ticket concerned. For fares that do not permit specific child`s reductions, the normal full Swiss Service Fee will apply. No Swiss Service Fee will be charged on tickets for infants under two years of age.
SWISS also points out that the Swiss Service Fee, and thus also the total price paid for a flight ticket obtained via SWISS direct sales, may differ from those charged by a travel agency or an internet booking service.
SWISS will also continue to levy a fee of CHF 20.00 per ticket for the issue of paper tickets to destinations for which an e-ticket could otherwise be issued.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
