Comments on: Confusion over the role of travel associations http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/12/03/confusion-over-the-role-of-travel-associations/ Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:52:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Darren Cronian http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/12/03/confusion-over-the-role-of-travel-associations/#comment-132271 Darren Cronian Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:53:47 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=2493#comment-132271 @ Kevin Thanks, just noticed in my Gmail emails, will take a look at it and consume! :) @ Kevin

Thanks, just noticed in my Gmail emails, will take a look at it and consume! :)

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]]> By: Kevin May http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/12/03/confusion-over-the-role-of-travel-associations/#comment-132078 Kevin May Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:17:11 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=2493#comment-132078 Darren: I forward you a PPT from the event which indicates the brand loyalty element of my comments. Darren: I forward you a PPT from the event which indicates the brand loyalty element of my comments.

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]]> By: Andrea Wren http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/12/03/confusion-over-the-role-of-travel-associations/#comment-131946 Andrea Wren Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:30:48 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=2493#comment-131946 @Murray - Unless the customer pays by cash (a rarity these days), it would be very hard for an agent to not pay the money in to the account. Credit/debit card processing facilities are set up within the agreements so the funds go straight into the Trust Account, and cheques must be made payable to 'Company Name Travel Trust Account'. Event if the agent were unscrupulous and did spend all the pennies of a customer who pays with the real stuff, that's where the TTA Guarantee then insures the customer's money - which is guaranteed in the event of failure or fraud. So booking with a TTA agent really is a good bet for a consumer. @Murray -

Unless the customer pays by cash (a rarity these days), it would be very hard for an agent to not pay the money in to the account.

Credit/debit card processing facilities are set up within the agreements so the funds go straight into the Trust Account, and cheques must be made payable to ‘Company Name Travel Trust Account’.

Event if the agent were unscrupulous and did spend all the pennies of a customer who pays with the real stuff, that’s where the TTA Guarantee then insures the customer’s money – which is guaranteed in the event of failure or fraud.

So booking with a TTA agent really is a good bet for a consumer.

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]]> By: Murray Harrold http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/12/03/confusion-over-the-role-of-travel-associations/#comment-131931 Murray Harrold Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:54:05 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=2493#comment-131931 Ah! Yes! Stabiliser! Those were the days. All sort of worked then. Despite Intasun... Court Line... Clarksons .... What about Exchange Travel! Along came some Government egits who decided that it was broken and needed fixing. (or was it EEC, I forget now). It's all very well for Which? to bang on about credit cards, but credit cards will not take too long to work out that acting as a surrogate bonding company for any Tom, Dick or Harry airline or operator is bad for business and simply stop merchant arrangements with/ for them. This will have interesting consequences as a) how do you then sell on the internet and b) er... how do you sell? Bonds! Yes, bonds! Agents can have a bond for IATA, bond for ATOL, bond for the credit card company.... that will work, so you have about 500 k bonding alll to sell a ticket and earn twixt £10 or £40 ...As for the Travel Trust, fine, but what happens if the agent doesn't pay the money in, in the first place?......... Ah! Yes! Stabiliser! Those were the days. All sort of worked then. Despite Intasun… Court Line… Clarksons …. What about Exchange Travel! Along came some Government egits who decided that it was broken and needed fixing. (or was it EEC, I forget now). It’s all very well for Which? to bang on about credit cards, but credit cards will not take too long to work out that acting as a surrogate bonding company for any Tom, Dick or Harry airline or operator is bad for business and simply stop merchant arrangements with/ for them. This will have interesting consequences as a) how do you then sell on the internet and b) er… how do you sell? Bonds! Yes, bonds! Agents can have a bond for IATA, bond for ATOL, bond for the credit card company…. that will work, so you have about 500 k bonding alll to sell a ticket and earn twixt £10 or £40 …As for the Travel Trust, fine, but what happens if the agent doesn’t pay the money in, in the first place?………

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]]> By: Jonathan Hansen http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/12/03/confusion-over-the-role-of-travel-associations/#comment-131873 Jonathan Hansen Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:59:53 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=2493#comment-131873 Opps... Ignore the part that says "Companies like (and I’m showing my age here. " in the comment above. Bad (rushed) editing on my part. Sorry Opps… Ignore the part that says “Companies like (and I’m showing my age here. ” in the comment above. Bad (rushed) editing on my part. Sorry

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