Agents need to ‘be honest’ with clients to resolve airline booking challenges

Travel agents need to have honest conversations with their clients about the rescheduling and cancellation of flights.

Ian Prior, managing director of Westway Travel, told the Aito Overseas Conference that scheduling issues and flight cancellation were still a problem.

Aito's latest quarterly business tracker survey of its members, which compiled 135 responses from 94 Aito operators and 41 agents, said 98% had said operational challenges were affecting their business performance

The next challenges were recruitment, demand, regulations, and staff turnover.

He said that you can get around these issues if you talk to your clients honestly. They know their flights might be changed. Don't be dishonest. On a face-to-face basis, we will work with you to overcome that.

If we manage our operational problems well and talk to our clients honestly, they will come back.

The car hire supply was a challenge for Nature Trek.

The European product is dependent on CarRentals. Prices are four to five times higher because there isn't any supply. He said that families have been going to the airport to find their class of vehicle is not available.

The UK rail strikes have been a challenge for McInlay Kidd this year.

Heather McInlay said: "We have tried to stay positive but at times it's been exhausting."