KING TRAVELWAYS BOOKING POLICIES

“WITHOUT A TRAVEL AGENT YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN”

A new day has dawned in the travel industry. Starting on March 14, 2002 there has been an enormous change in the relationship between the Travel Agent and the Airline: all ATC member agencies were notified by Delta Airlines that they would no longer pay agent commissions for booking and issuing airline tickets. This boils down to ZERO PAY. Following this, the next week all other US airlines followed suit. Shock waves have been felt by the travel agency community around the globe.

What does this mean to you, the ultimate consumer, the TRAVELER?

Ø       The airline is attempting to push you into booking through the internet

Ø       If you opt to book your airline reservations in this manner you will be dealing electronically, with no opportunity to discuss your travel options with a knowledgeable, professional agent, whose mission it is to find you the best airfare, with the best airline, with the most comfortable routing.

Ø       You will be thrown into an environment of poor service, difficult booking procedures, and poor treatment.

Ø       You will find yourself in a non-refundable, non-changeable predicament, with no-one to discuss this with.

Why did the airlines take this stand, when the travel agent has been their marketing arm for over 50 years, handling 80% of their sales?

Deregulation was certainly a start. Because of a number of poor management decisions the airlines have lost billions of dollars in the last several years. The tragedy of 9/11 mired them deeper for the last quarter of ’01 – after which the government pumped untold aid into their pockets. (At that time the travel agents worked tirelessly on their behalf to reaccommodate their customers). They have come up  with various cost-cutting strategies, and feel that this is the answer to all of their problems:

eradicate the travel agent, and issue electronic tickets.

Now, the playing field has leveled. The agent no longer fears the insinuation of anti-trust.

 WE WANT TO CONTINUE DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU

Your travel plans are very important, to yourselves, and to KING TRAVELWAYS. We will continue to give you service ABOVE AND BEYOND.

In addition to the base fare of your airline tickets, your hotel reservations, your tour packages, your cruises – our consulting – you will expect to see small travel management and administrative fees. Any other professional builds this into their service: your bank, your doctor, your lawyer. Our knowledge of our business is priceless, and we want to continue to share this with you.

KING TRAVELWAYS has been your loyal travel agent since 1977, and has every intention of remaining so. It will be a different way of doing business - BUT -  we will continue to give you service that is

“ABOVE and BEYOND”!

King Travelways, Inc.
Professional Travel Specialists
105 Hanover Street
Meriden, CT 06451, U.S.A.
Phone 203.634.3500
U.S.A. 1.800.624.3516
Fax 203.630.3037
info@kingtravelways.com