bmibaby to work with trade but no commission
BMIBABY has ruled out introducing commission payments
despite launching a campaign to win over the trade this week.
The no-frills carrier has invited local agents to
meetings at East Midlands and Cardiff airports to discuss ways to work
together.
Options under discussion will be a dedicated, bookable
trade website and allowing agents to access the airline’s inventory via
Amadeus.
BMI’s decision to transfer its seven routes out of
East Midlands Airport to Bmibaby in October (Travel Weekly August 5) has left
the Midlands hub with no full-service airline product.
Bmibaby managing director Tony Davis said: “We want to
make sure Bmibaby is agents’
preferred choice for corporate and leisure clients.”
While ruling out commission payments, Davis said the
carrier is keen to incentivise agents to book via the web. He said: “We need to
make the trade feel comfortable about selling Bmibaby and our preference is for
agents to use the web because it reduces distribution costs.”
Travelscene sales director John Harding, who said
BMI’s East Midlands move makes it impossible to run a scheduled tour operation
from the airport, welcomed the news.
He said: “I’m encouraged that
Bmibaby is talking to agents but those discussions need to be extended to tour
operators who are its best and most cost-effective form of distribution.”