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Post by sfp on Apr 23, 2009 17:55:14 GMT 1
Let us use this thread for feedback on reaction of travel agents when LPL services requested.
Also include reference to surface access arrangements - car, train, bus and coach as I am sure there is a lack of knowledge about the total offer at Liverpool
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Post by airblue on Apr 24, 2009 10:06:32 GMT 1
I am a Business Travel agent and am Fully aware of services
from Liverpool airport.
I think its rather unfair that theres another go at travel agents overall.
I,m sure the majority do know their stuff.
Just as in any industry there are those who let the side down.
Our office are extremly pro-active about our home airport.
For example,we have sent passengers to China,the USA and
Europe with KLM via Amsterdam.
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Post by sfp on Apr 24, 2009 12:18:15 GMT 1
Airblue
Many thanks for your response. I am pleased to hear that use is being made of the connection opportunities using the KLM service.
I am aware that there are several agents that are fully aware of the offer and indeed many have been at receptions held to publicise the KLM flights.
There is still a feeling that the high street agents do not fully promote Liverpool - to be fair they have not had much to promote with LoCos approach to using the web-sites. I think this makes it all the more important to ensure all agents and their potential customers are aware of the services that are available.
There are also a number of travel agents that put together packages with utilising the LoCos and their role is also recognised.
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Post by airblue on Apr 24, 2009 12:32:57 GMT 1
Yes,I attended the KLM lauch at the town hall back in February.
It was an excellent and very well attended evening.
Also,Unilever being anglo-dutch will provide plenty of
potential travellers.
As an aside,I fly myself whenever possible from LPL.
I even remember flying as a child British Eagle on a Britannia
to Heathrow.
And going to Alicante in 1974 on a Brittania 737-200.
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Post by sfp on May 14, 2009 17:25:55 GMT 1
I recently visited a Thomas Cook branch and asked about scheduled routes from Liverpool. They thought that KLM was just an Amsterdam service.
I asked them to put in a route Liverpool - Vienna. They were surprised it could be booked.
They stated that they do book 'quite a few' scheduled flights - with easyJet now there is a suitable business section.
They also pointed out they advertised scheduled flights in the window - yes with 'preferred partner' British Airways. This would mean traveling to Manchester and shuttle to Heathrow or Gatwick!
We must all keep asking for Liverpool flights - don't forget there is also Eastern Airways to Aberdeen and Southampton . Do Eastern use travel agents?
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Post by Fox Echo on May 14, 2009 22:29:32 GMT 1
I recently visited a Thomas Cook branch and asked about scheduled routes from Liverpool. They thought that KLM was just an Amsterdam service. That does not surprise me at all. Long gone are the days when the name Thomas Cook was synonymous with expertise in worldwide travel arrangements. In my own experience, they and many of their high street retail contempories seem to employ many staff whose experience seldom extends beyond bucket & spade trips and whose prime motivation is now to sell whatever product they happen to be targeted from week to week rather than what might best suit the customer. I would certainly never dream of booking scheduled flights with this type of agent. Those with greater knowledge & expertise now generally operate in the business sector, where success depends very much on ability to continually satisfy and retain clients or are working for smaller specialist niche operators. There are certainly some good knowledgable agents around, it's just a case of finding the right one to fulfil your particular needs. |
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Post by maverick on May 15, 2009 0:08:27 GMT 1
Travel Agents rating -- just above Estate Agents and MPs.
Thank God for t'internet.
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Post by davel on May 15, 2009 9:44:16 GMT 1
Over the years FoLA have carried out surveys into the awareness of Travel agents on LPL services. We have consistently come up against a negative or unhelpful attitude to LPL services from most of them. The independent agents have been, in the most, the best for promoting LPL services and have supported the Airport through the lean years. It was only when Direct Holidays came along and didn't use Travel Agents that we began to get the destinations we wanted. This continued when easyJet arrived and as they also, at that time, did not deal through agents LPL services flourished. I remember in their first year Direct did £16m of business and the Travel Agents started moaning that business was down due to people booking directly with the holiday provider.
I remember going to one agent (High street multinational) and asking for a holiday to Spain and immediately I was given MAN departure when I asked for LPL I was told that the computer automatically put in MAN as the departure point and the agent had to change it every time to see if there were LPL departures. Now I knew there were, so I asked, but how many others were put through MAN without the knowledge that there was a choice?
Time and time again we hear that the agents do support LPL services, if so, they need to get their act together pretty quickly because with the internet the days of going to your local Travel Agent are becoming a thing of the past.
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Post by airblue on May 15, 2009 10:55:58 GMT 1
Yes,I started with Thomas Cook in the good old days where you were taught how to book
everything,be it uk rail,flights,hotels,car hire,continental rail etc.
I work now in Business Travel,and I agree the high street multiples tend to employ staff who
are paid peanuts and at times are geographically challenged!.
I entered the travel industry to travel.
I enjoy all forms of travel,be it air,rail,bus or by sea etc.
I retain my enthusiasm for all forms of travel.
Today,a lot of travel agents do not have or want this enthusiasm.
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Post by northbynorthwest on May 17, 2009 2:29:31 GMT 1
Some interesting comments about travel agents here - obviously there are some very capable travel agents as well as some not so capable. Typically business travel is not booked at a small High Street agency that tends to deal with vacations / package tours, etc. So, hopefully the majority of agencies that do deal with business accounts are well versed with KLM operations through LPL. It is incumbent on the airline itself to educate the travel agencies about their services - so if the KLM sales staff are not getting the message across, then there is a fundamental problem here. Likewise, the airport itself needs to do a much better job of selling itself to the travel agencies. LPL Airport does employ a sales team - but do they go pounding the pavement visiting travel agencies throughout the northwest to promote the KLM flights?  ?? If they don't, they darned well need to, because if this route is to fail, there won't exactly be a line of other major international carriers knocking on the door. Its a one shot deal - get it right and LPL is finally connected to the world. Screw it up and......... |
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Post by ronturner on May 17, 2009 7:19:07 GMT 1
One of my daughters is a travel consultant working for a well known but specialist organisation. She is good at her job, gets lots of free or subsidised travel and earns good bonusses. She does this by directing her clients into holidays which yield her the best commission. (Either from the employer or from the holiday provider.) The basic salary is hardly worth turning up for work. The airlines and the airport have to learn how to exist in this framework. She tells me that few customers insist on a particular departure point, so long as they get what they want on the voyage, holiday, trip or gap year travel.
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Post by davel on May 17, 2009 13:41:13 GMT 1
Ron, that's exactly right on the nose. The Travel Agent is paid by the Airline ETC. and whichever pays the best commission gets the business. That's what has happened for years as LPL departures frequently earned less commission than MAN departures and people were systematically directed that way. Not giving the client what they wanted but what earns the most money was the norm. and as far as I can see nothing has changed. As I said previously it was only when Travel Agents were avoided that LPL began to flourish.
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Post by calflier on May 17, 2009 14:14:12 GMT 1
One of my daughters is a travel consultant working for a well known but specialist organisation. She is good at her job, gets lots of free or subsidised travel and earns good bonusses. She does this by directing her clients into holidays which yield her the best commission. (Either from the employer or from the holiday provider.) The basic salary is hardly worth turning up for work. The airlines and the airport have to learn how to exist in this framework. She tells me that few customers insist on a particular departure point, so long as they get what they want on the voyage, holiday, trip or gap year travel. Sure you will agree,that most people who read and contribute on this board,would never set foot in a travel agents(unless to get a brochure).Of my many trips since the internet became a relality.I have never even spoken to a travel agent,and I am sure a lot of people do the same thing,However. there is still room for specialist operators who can offer a great service to a particular area,I should imagine that the type of people who your daughter deals with probably cant be bothered arranging their own travel, which is fair enough,What I am saying is we are all the same on here,that is we do care where we fly from etc etc,but I think in the future as even more people become used to the internet,ie the young people of today getting older,the travel agents base market will surely diminish constantly,possibly to the point of closure of high street agents shops completely,Very few people now buy tickets at the airport for example,because of the extra cost, and hassle involved,in summing up I dont think the airport going after travel agents is worthwhile,maybe just an increase in the advertising budget targeted at travelers when new services become available would be better suited. |
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Post by LPL on May 17, 2009 14:15:33 GMT 1
But the fact is now that KLM have a route from LPL then that reason goes out of the window if you ask a travel agent about a flight via AMS.
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Post by calflier on May 17, 2009 14:18:54 GMT 1
But the fact is now that KLM have a route from LPL then that reason goes out of the window if you ask a travel agent about a flight via AMS. I understand the point LPL,but one thing it proves is the travel agents either dont know their products, or are selling something agaist the public best interest to earn comission,I think we know this anyway. |
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?? If they don't, they darned well need to, because if this route is to fail, there won't exactly be a line of other major international carriers knocking on the door. Its a one shot deal - get it right and LPL is finally connected to the world. Screw it up and......... 
