The national travel ban has put an end to income for travel agents across the country but some are finding themselves working tirelessly on repatriation efforts, sometimes without compensation.
At a time when people are desperate to come home and are calling on the help of trusted agents, does the work that agents put in warrant something in return?
Zambian travel and tour company, Shamba Travel, believes it is of the utmost importance that agents earn some sort of income for repatriation efforts because they need the support and recognition now, more than ever.
Shamba has been advertising repatriation flights (both ways) between Johannesburg and Lusaka. The company has already successfully completed one charter flight and is working on another, set for May 29. Agents earn a 6% commission on the flight, included in the rate to the customer.
Michéll Fourie, representing the company, said: “It’s simple really. We all need to stand together to ensure we survive this difficult time in any way possible.”
Michéll said Shamba compensated agents by working the commission (for accredited tour operators and travel agents) into the seat price, excluding taxes. “On invoicing the agent/operator, we deduct the commission from the invoice and the agent will just pay Shamba Travel the nett amount.”
According to Charmaine Thome, gm of Aviareps Southern Africa, there is a lot of administrative work involved in the process of repatriation and this cannot go unrewarded, so the company has advised its trade partners to ensure that there will be compensation for them when a repatriation charter takes off.
“The agents compile comprehensive lists of stranded passengers and together we work with our partner airlines to ensure the smooth repatriation of their clients, whilst adhering to all regulations and restrictions,” she told Travel News.
Bronwyn Dorling, an ITC, is part of a team of travel experts and agents actively working on repatriating South African citizens. She says they have not received any compensation for any of the work they have done but she knows that some agents have been able to negotiate some sort of fee with their clients “out of the goodness of their hearts”.
“I actually prefer that we are not receiving commission for the work we do because it may create the impression that we are taking advantage of people in desperate situations,” she says.
