Whom are we fooling ?
Travel Agent
QUOTE: Despite our extensive attempts to draw their attention in this matter and our repeated discussions and pleas , they (airlines) refuse to resolve our issues.UNQUOTE
It is is amusing
to read an impassioned mail (pleading helplessness!)from leading Travel Association, urging members to
join the "leadership" in closing their offices on the 7th of May,
2013. Aren’t these the same people, who crawled, when asked to bend? Aren’t
these the same people who magnanimously, agreed for 3% and then 1%, when the
industry cried foul? Naturally now the Airlines will not listen to you.
QUOTE:As TAAI, we have spent considerable time in exploring legal initiatives. All of us are aware that any legal solution takes considerable time.UNQUOTE
Reportedly, TAAI & TAFI had agreed to approach the appellate authority, before the Karnataka High Court. Having slept over it, one can only claim helplessness. There have been litigations from IAAI and others, why not support them? Even now there are pending cases why not jointly fight it out? One hears that IAAI has been seeking your support and affidavits, but you refused to give. Why?
Gentlemen, in the humble opinion of A4A, we are barking up the wrong tree. No difference will be felt if some offices are closed. Because, there are the OTAs and many other agents will keep their offices open or work from home. This tokenism, if at all, is meant to show the public, that they are doing something… nothing more, nothing less…
Meanwhile, please also see the mail from one of the Chairpersons of TAAI, attached below, which is very revealing;
QUOTE: As I told you in my conversation I have been told by TAFI and OTA's that they are not participating in the same. Please advise if this is true. Unless that happens TAAI will become a mockery. UNQUOTE
Yes, the whole exercise has become a mockery. Even the Jagore is a mokery, where the ledership, who are supposed to take firm stand and lead the associations are sitting among audience and as per one of the participants, did not have any concrete suggestions ! Now, the same bunch is hiding behind “jagore” and sending ANONYMOUS letters to Airlines (See the mail appended mail below) !
Gentlemen, if there is a will, there certainly is a way. Our destiny is in OUR HANDS and NOT in the hands of the AIRLINES…. Let us face the situation squarely and in a manly fashion. We must negotiate from a position of strength and that we have in APJC.
Put competent people in APJC. IATA resolutions are always country specific and we can and must ensure this. Unfortunately the present lot at APJC are either ignorant or spineless. When we are under 818g, they fool the agents saying we are governed by 810i ! When there is provision for 9 Agents representatives, they restrict it (illegally) to 7 so that no competent people come into this exclusive club !
Instead of enacting a farce of closing, writing letters, DEMAND from your leadership, to re-constitute the APJC as per 818g with 18 members (9+9). Let all the resolutions be country specific. Let there be demand to ensure that the law of the land is obeyed and let not the Airlines be a law unto themselves.
This is the least that this movement can do and the results will be there to see…
Regards
A4A
From: TRAVEL AGENTS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA - TAAI [mailto:ta...@taai.in]
Sent: Wednesday, May 01,
2013 6:08 PM
To: TRAVEL AGENTS
ASSOCIATION OF INDIA - TAAI
Subject: ABHI NAHI TOH
KABHIE NAHI !
TRAVEL AGENTS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA
2-D, Lawrence & Mayo House, 276 Dr. D N Road, Fort,Mumbai-400 001. Tel : (022) 40836786 / 22078184 / 22077662
Fax : (022) 40836767. E-mail: ta...@taai.in, Website :www.travelagentsofindia.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
To: All Members of TAAI
Abhi Nahi Toh Kabhie Nahi !
Now or Never!
Let’s Rise Above Self !
Dear Colleague Member,
“Tough Times Never Last, but ...Tough People Do ..
The current scenario in the Industry, particularly relating to the most unfortunate approach of the Airlines, towards Travel Agencies has created a pandemonium.
Airlines are unwilling to recognize that a Travel Agent must be remunerated for having made extensive investment to support the Airlines growth and from decades and partnered with them in their progress to achieve remarkable market share in India's growing economy.
Despite our extensive attempts to draw their attention in this matter and our repeated discussions and pleas , they refuse to resolve our issues.
There is possibly NO PRODUCT or SERVICE in our country that does not get remunerated.
It is evident that the Airlines are keen to “de recognize the Travel Agents and go direct to the customers.”
Airlines possibly believe that “Travel Agencies in India are too small to take on the mighty Airlines” and therefore would like to take advantage of the situation.
As TAAI, we have spent considerable time in exploring legal initiatives. All of us are aware that any legal solution takes considerable time.
It is time to “share our agony.”
It is time to “demonstrate our “Leadership”.
It is time to “fight for a cause and to take a stand” and most importantly,
It is time that we “lead by example”.
Tuesday, the 7th May 2013, will be a day to remember.
Members of the TAAI Managing Committee and our Chairpersons have decided to close down their shutters “to protest the injustice done to the trade ."
Our offices will remain closed as a mark of dissent on the practices of the Airlines – particularly the Domestic Carriers, who were expected to provide us with an immediate solution following the Hon’ble Supreme Court verdict on the TF issue.
Our closure, we are certain, will strongly communicate to the Airlines and our Customers, the pain and the breach of our rightful remuneration caused by the Airlines.
We shall communicate to all the Airlines that our offices will be closed for all sales on this day.
We are expecting to get a concurrence from all the Travel Trade Agencies in India – Small or Big, that they will support our cause. Friends, Charity begins at home and our Travel Agencies of the TAAI Managing Committee will lead by example.
Gandhiji did not wait for the people in our country to say YES, to start a cause which gave us freedom.
We are confident that the voice of these agencies forming the TAAI Managing Committee will inspire you to join us and revive our “survival” and will be as loud as the voice of more than 3000 IATA Agencies and over a 1,00,000 employees.
We can only ask you to support us which shall be appreciated.
If you believe, that we as the Travel fraternity in India is hurt and that we will have to come up with a solution, let us make this beginning today, and not discuss or debate on the results of our actions.
In case you decide to join this noble cause, please send an email to: ta...@taai.in to confirm that you are with us on Tuesday, the 7th May 2013. This will energize us to take more initiatives.
May this Action of ours speak louder than words! Our prayers that “Wisdom prevails on the Airlines”
Abhi Nahi Toh Kabhie Nahi !
Yours Dependably
for Travel Agents Association of India
M. Iqbal Mulla N M Sharafudeen Sunil Kumar R N G Shankar
President Vice President Hon. Secretary General Hon. Treasurer
Kindly forward this email to all other Colleague Travel Agencies – IATA or NON IATA who may not be members of TAAI)
From: Jyoti Mayal [mailto:jyo...@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2013 4:30 PM
To: taai; pres...@taai.in; iqbal; chai...@treasureindia.com;
sha...@oscon.net; sunil...@gmail.com; ngsh...@durgatravel.com;
Harmandeep Jagsons; jag...@sify.com; marzba...@gmail.com;
ramesh...@yahoo.com; in...@gujraltours.com; pioneerae...@yahoo.com;
sunilnot...@gmail.com; bcst...@gmail.com; lok...@triwaytravels.com;
lbtr...@gmail.com; nave...@gmail.com; natt...@gmail.com;
rajj...@swiftravel.com; imti...@hotmail.com; austinv...@hotmail.com;
taaipb...@gmail.com; apa...@club7holidays.co.in; j...@tulsidaskhimji.com;
mukesh...@gmail.com; acma...@gmail.com; shre...@unicorn-travels.com;
rt...@yahoo.co.uk; jd...@uniglobesunnytravel.com; in...@shahtravels.com;
param...@yahoo.com; ki...@vyastravels.in; noshir...@riya.travel;
sango...@yahoo.co.in; novatrave...@gmail.com;
viking...@gmail.com; lakshmitr...@yahoo.com; Amarjit Gujral;
md_mu...@yahoo.co.in; shiva...@bol.net.in; aust...@yahoo.co.in;
taaipb...@yahoo.in; aparna....@gmail.com;
taai.nr.j...@gmail.com; lakshmih...@gmail.com
Cc: geeta_...@hotmail.com; cind...@taai.in; Nirupa; Susan;
pal...@taai.in; ind...@taai.in; 'Manoj'; sat...@taai.in
Subject: RE: ABHI NAHI TOH KABHIE NAHI !
Dear Mr. President,
Thanks for your e-mail.
As per my conversation with you yesterday and subsequently our TAAI-NR
meeting, which was attended by 75 members a unanimous decision was taken to
close shutters/boycott airlines only if all associations/OTA's/Corporate
agents/Consolidators shut shop too.
As I told you in my conversation I have been told by TAFI and OTA's that
they are not participating in the same. Please advise if this is true.
Unless that happens TAAI will become a mockery.
If you still feel, as we have given you the mandate to take a decision and
you want to go ahead with the same will not be please send a circular from
your office to all members all India and we will follow.
We want our association to seem united and strong and not fall flat on our
face or be made a laughing stock among the airlines.
Warm Wishes.
Jyoti Mayal
Chairperson
Travel Agents Association Of India-NR
--- On Thu, 2/5/13, Jago-re Travel Agent <jago...@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Jago-re Travel Agent <jago...@gmail.com>
Subject: {Jago Re - Travel Agents} Call for
meeting with senior Spicejet officials
To: v.r...@spicejet.com, harish...@spicejet.com, neil....@spicejet.com,jignesh...@spicejet.com, amanjee...@spicejet.com
Cc: jago_...@googlegroups.com
Date: Thursday, 2 May, 2013, 3:54 PM
Dear Senior management of Spicejet,
Your move to abolish PLB has shocked the entire travel fraternity. When we see this coupled with the inaction regarding reinstatement of transaction fee in any other manner, the move is seen as the airline’s motive of removing agents totally, who have so long sold your inventory and helped you grow.
Your airline could have very well found out a way to inbuilt the rightful percentage in the fare or in any other manner to safeguard our interests. If you tell us you are trying and that you did not have any way out, we dispute that in advance because your tickets still show “Special services” as one component by which you collect an amount on each ticket. You can do that to collect yourself but not safeguard the travel agents?
Travel agents’ fraternity would like to meet you immediately at a place convenient to you. We want to meet you and come out with a solution which will be beneficial for all.
Please let us know at the earliest.
Best regards
Core Committee
Jago Re Travel Agents