Easy, Accessible Air Travel No Longer A Given

Ottawa Citizen

There once was a time when air travel was exotic and special, something ordinary people didn’t get to do very often. But over the years airplanes became buses in the sky, with cheap fares and lots of routes. We may be returning to a period when air travel will become less routine and more of a luxury.... read on

Is Zoom A Harbinger Of Worse To Come?

Business Travel Europe

The failure of Zoom adds weight to the persistent predictions of airline executives that fall will bring more collapses. In Europe, there has been an almost unprecedented level of jockeying for position in a still largely fragmented industry. While the EC has been encouraging airline consolidation for years, they may get more than they bargained for.... read on

Is The Aviation Industry Flirting With Disaster?

Nelisha Vellani, CBC

Ten years after the crash of Swissair Flight 111 off the coast of Nova Scotia, airlines have yet to act on many of the recommendations stemming from one of the lengthiest and most expensive air investigations in Canadian history. While aviation officials disagree over the level of risk involved, crash experts worry that the industry is flirting with disaster.... read on

Zoom And The Cycle Of Regret

Steve Gillick CTM, CITC

Another airline down, and another reminder why Canadian consumers should book with travel agents instead of directly with a potentially insolvent airline. Statistically, booking with a travel counsellor can save a client money and time and the hassle of dealing with travel-related matters that arise before, during and after travel has taken place... read on

Seeking A Seal Of Approval For Sustainable Travel

Robin Tauck, Modern Agent

A strategic coalition of U.N. agencies, conservation groups and travel and tourism leaders are working towards developing a trusted ‘seal of approval’ for sustainable travel that is dependable and well-marketed. The president of Tauck World Discovery says the future of the industry depends on the success of the effort... read on

Time To Belly Up To The Blogosphere

Mark Murphy, Modern Agent

If you run a travel agency and don't have a blog, you're missing out on a very effective opportunity to market your business, says travel trade publisher Mark Murphy. Blog musings are indexed by major search engines and come up in relevant search results. Millions of people are seeking the information in your head, so get it out there... read on

YTB May Disappear But Concepts May Change Industry

Arnie Weissman, TravelWeekly

YTB is in a fight to the death, with lawsuits in California and Illinois, plus a couple of class actions from disgruntled members. If it is brought down, it likely won’t be the end of the ‘consumer-as-travel-agent’ concept. And the next one will likely avoid many YTB mistakes and annoyances. ... read on

Thriving In Hard Times

Mark Rogers, Travel Agent

Surviving in tough times is all about proving your worth to your clients. If economic conditions are spurring people to travel closer to home, try creating local packages yourself, by networking with hotels, restaurants and attractions. You may find yourself with a whole new client base.... read on

Big Isn’t Beautiful Says Branson

Richard Branson, Wall Street Journal

If the U.S. grants antitrust immunity to AA, BA and IB, they would effectively create the world's biggest airline, says Virgin boss Richard Branson. The three carriers would be able to do what is normally illegal -- fix prices and schedules and share crucial marketing and operational data.... read on

Ryanair’s Strange Strategy

Eric Reguly, Globe and Mail

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has been called many things, some of them not repeatable. But his latest move, lowering airfares while his airline’s profits slide, is confounding his critics again. Is this a suicidal move, or the action of a supremely confident leader with a sly plan to win a war of attrition... read on

Don’t Let YTB Tarnish Home-Based Models

James Shillinglaw, Modern Agent

The retail travel business faces a major challenge in attracting new blood, so the ability of legitimate host agencies to recruit individuals from outside the profession is a positive. A travel trade editor says it is critical to make clear the differences between the YTB approach and what many host agencies provide to professional outside agents.... read on

Despite Best Efforts, Genesis Never Struck A Chord

Dennis Schaal, Travel Weekly

In eight years of covering travel industry distribution, Schaal says he never once heard an interviewee raise the subject of the Genesis Travel Distribution System. He says a very slow start and the fact that Genesis did not calculate the airlines push onto the web were key factors in its demise.... read on

It’s Time To Make Guests The Focus Again

Ashish Sanghrajka, Modern Agent

The vice-president sales for tour operator Big Five Tours & Expeditions says that somewhere along the line the travel industry forgot about the guest, in a greedy quest for money and market share. As custodians of their travel dreams, he says it’s time to make travellers number one again.... read on

Remember When Air Travel Was Elegant?

Sandra Porteous, CBC

There was a time when people dressed up to fly, when service was friendly and attentive and when airline food was edible and served on a china plate. Today, stressed pax struggle with unsmiling self-service kiosks, battle through lineups and carry on anything they can’t afford to lose. What happened? ... read on

Airline Staff Are Feeling The Pain

James Wysong, Tripso

We read every day about new staff cuts and workplace changes in the beleaguered airline industry. But it’s not so often we get to really feel the pain of those working in the industry. A ride on an airport crew bus reveals the extent of the carnage. ... read on

Reaching The Right Customer With The Right Message

Mark Murphy, Modern Agent

With the multitude of media offered as advertising vehicles these days, it’s not easy for a travel agency to plan its strategy. It comes down to targeting the right customer with the right message in the right media, and getting results.

Air Travel Is Changing, Not Collapsing

Joe Brancatelli, Portfolio.com

Despite all the announced service cutbacks, commercial air travel is merely changing. The sky isn't falling and "the system" isn't collapsing. After 30 years of following the industry, a columnist makes some educated guesses about what the near future holds.

It’s Simple: Tell Us How Much A Ticket Costs

Montreal Gazette

Airline price advertising is a confusing mess. To do any comparison shopping at all, you need a good computer, a lot of patience and a well-sharpened pencil - that, or a trusted travel agent. Here’s some news for Transport Minister Cannon: there is national consensus – passengers want a simple, all-inclusive price.

The Far-Reaching Effects Of Airline Failure

Tom Belden, Philadelphia Inquirer

The Business Travel Coalition’s Kevin Mitchell has released a report that paints a bleak picture of the economic pain many people - and not just airline employees - could face unless oil prices retreat. It’s a worst-case scenario, but Mitchell has been right too many times to be ignored.