AIR - Air NZ.

[Nitaa]

AIR cut's commissions to local travel agents... from July on short haul..

Local Agents very angry.

Seriously who on earth books domestic travel with an agent, what a waste of money.

Well done to AIR for doing that.

[Not The Chosen One]

Seriously who on earth books domestic travel with an agent, what a waste of money.

Well done to AIR for doing that.

Did you read the article? Domestic flights aren't included in the commission cuts.

To answer your rhetorical question - There is a huge corporate demand for domestic flights booked through an agent with some seriously large contracts set up between agents and businesses. For the holiday market, most people book themselves which is fairly obvious.

[dobby41]

deleted ........

[dobby41]

Seriously who on earth books domestic travel with an agent, what a waste of money.

Well done to AIR for doing that.

Shorthaul (Aussie etc) rather than domestic.
You'd be surprised - people do use a travel agent for domestic, probably not many people but there are out there.

[Nitaa]

Did you read the article? Domestic flights aren't included in the commission cuts.

To answer your rhetorical question - There is a huge corporate demand for domestic flights booked through an agent with some seriously large contracts set up between agents and businesses. For the holiday market, most people book themselves which is fairly obvious.

Mainly corporate, are now going through a direct portal to AIR and booking their employees themselves cutting out the necessity to pay extra charges through an antiquated agent. Again, agents are a thing of the past.

What this basically means is a better return for AIR domestic and trans Tasman.

[Nitaa]

Provide facts rather than assumptions next time.

You're sounding like an obtuse antiquated union rep.

[Waltzing]

I know some people who regretted not having an agent when covid struct.. Some of them are still stuck in Asia and Europe..

An Iranian business person who lives in the wia Waka too managed to get to german twice last year and she said she Never travels without an Agent to get her out of trouble..

A lot of business people use agents who specialise in getting them in and out of countries or used to an handle all travel arrangements.

[iceman]

Thanks to all for the big discussion on here in recent weeks. I've stayed away from commenting on this thread since I sold out of Air NZ late 2019 (pure luck). But I often compare my ex home country Iceland, Tierra del Fuego where I work (Argentina) and NZ (where I live). In my view they are all after the same tourists, environmental or landscape tourists.

This year Iceland with its population of 330,000, has had 623,000 international tourists until end of November. This year is 75% of 2019 arrivals. They have higher rate of COVID than NZ. Roughly 85-90% vaccinated, +5yo. Tourism companies are reporting 70-80% of 2019 revenue.
The Harbour Master in my old home town of 2,000 people, told me yesterday that he has 97 cruise ships booked for June-August 2022 season. Biggest ever pre-bookings.



I arrived in Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego) a couple of days ago. I've been coming here regularly for 15 years. When I left in early June, there were very few tourists (ski season) as the country had severe travel restrictions. When I arrived yesterday the country is pretty much open to fully vaccinated people and Aerolineas Argentinas put on an Airbus 330, instead of the Boeing 757 that normally do the route, due to demand. When I arrived in Ushuaia, there where 5 cruise ships in the port and several have departed and arrived since. The town (shops/restaurants) is full of people. Everyone wearing a mask but not really adhering to social distancing. Back to 70% of pre COVID traffic. I've talked to quite a few tourists and they are mainly well off USA or German people.. Would have loved to go to NZ but have now taken it off their bucket list. My mate who owns my favourite parrilla (steakhouse) says his traffic now is 80% of same time 2019.
90% of the +12yo population in the state vaccinated

Looking at this, I am even more furious about the stupid approach NZ has taken to COVID in 2021 with the only measure being how many people die from COVID, ignoring the 50,000 people that have not been able to do their mammograms and all the other health delays. But equally important is the fact that NZ has destroyed the tourism industry that only 3-4 years ago was our 2nd biggest FX earner.

The reason I post on this thread, is that I think NZ, through stupidity, has lost out on the wealthy environmental tourists for several years, because they've already gone elsewhere.

"Let's do this".

[Panda-NZ-]

Tourism provides low wage work so maybe wages on average will increase.

But I often compare my ex home country Iceland, Tierra del Fuego where I work (Argentina) and NZ (where I live). In my view they are all after the same tourists, environmental or landscape tourists.

This iceland-verse ad is good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enMwwQy_noI

[iceman]

Panda, especially after watching this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gElfIo6uw4g.
Classic. I'm glad we finally found one thing we agree on:-)