Thursday, August 06, 2020

TAAI Alleges Air India Plays Dirty With Travel Agents

Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has voiced its dejection on Air India’s social media post as well as communications to travellers to book on their website and verify airfares with the airlines before booking with the agents. The airline has also stated that agents block the inventory on the GDS.
Writing to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and CMD of Air India Rajiv Bansal, TAAI informed the National Carrier to withdraw the same.
Excerpts from the communication dated 30th July produced below:
“We refer to the circular issued by Air India to travel agents as well as to media, including posts on social media, informing travellers to not pay more than the fare mentioned on the website of Air India, if booked through the travel agents.
We strongly condemn this and request you to withdraw the same.
It shall be appreciated that travel agents members guide and update the passengers on all formalities, assist in documentation, filing complicated declarations, assist in updating on registration on AI website and also provide allied services to travellers, update of validity of visas and visa categories permitted etc.
Sirs, our member agents provide services to the traveller/customers, who feels secure by dealing with us. During these pandemic and testing times, our trade is the most impacted, with all airlines, including Air India not refunding the amounts of tickets for services not rendered. For over 4 months the refunds are pending and the travellers are chasing our member agents to refund their monies. After our multiple requests to your goodselves, the same has begun but still the process is terribly slow. We have never blamed or criticised the airline or their practices. We also understand that the airline too is facing a cash crunch but with no clarity from the Government and the National Flag bearer, this had become out of control.
We have been in constant touch with MoCA/Air India Management on a regular basis and such communications are demeaning to our member agents in the trade who you call “Travel Partners”.
We demand and appeal a clarity be issued instantly in this regard, which should inform of malpractices and manipulations, but should ensure that the agent and customer have direct relationship in their conditions of additional services and charges being levied thereon for providing the same.”
Further on 5th August’20, Air India once again communicated adversely against booking through travel agents.
06/08/20 Travel Trends Today
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