This is not the first time the subject has come up.
Remember the case that opposed Travel Planet at Air France in 2018.
It is another travel agency, FCM Travel, that the airline is attacking, following “irregularities” noted on ticket prices. Stakes ? Its mandate.
Read also: Air France-KLM withdraws its mandate from FCM Travel France
Is this an illegal practice? Or is it commonplace?
” He is prohibits the application of a margin on corporate fares negotiated by Air France, if the charges are not clearly indicated. I think that Air France is within its rights, as in the Travel Planet file”, answers the head of an agency.
And if it wasjust a lack of transparency ? ” It’s not not forbidden to apply additional charges. Air France requests that agency fees be differentiated on the invoice,” agrees another agency CEO.
“The problem is much more complex than just taking charges that don’t match.
We too often forget that the travel agency is a service provider and that from there, it is free to make its margins », takes part on his side Richard Vainopoulospresident of the TourCom travel agency network, before specifying: “When Air France makes an agreement on a firm rate with a company and a travel agency, it must be respected.
If the travel agency sells more than the fare, which is one of Air France’s reproaches to FCM Travel, in reality, the commercial code authorizes it. We are talking about mark-up. What is prohibited is to sell below. »
Is Air France going too far in cutting the distribution of FCM Travel within 6 months ?
“They have a fairly long deadline, which will allow both parties to discuss intelligently and find a solution”underlines the president of the TourCom travel agency network.