With increasing airfares leading to a rise in the unethical practice of skiplagging by cost-conscious consumers, the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA) has called for an end to unfair penalties issued to agents for the travel booked through their channels.
“Skiplagging is a long-standing issue in the travel industry that we do not support, but travel agents cannot control customer behaviour once travel is under way,” commented Otto de Vries, Executive Director of WTAAA.
In 2019, a Berlin court dismissed a case in which Lufthansa tried to sue a passenger for more than US$2 300 (R44 260) in fees that were avoided by skiplagging. However, the WTAAA said in a statement received by Travel News that it was likely that it could not be proved that segments were intentionally missed.
“While airlines have filed unsuccessful legal cases against consumers who skiplag, they continue to issue agency debit memos (ADMs), penalising agents whose clients break fare rules by not taking a flight segment,” explained De Vries.
Who’s accountable?
One of the key issues of skiplagging is identifying which party needs to be made accountable for the missed segments.
De Vries highlighted that Iata’s Resolution 830a, which details the consequences of violating ticketing and reservation procedures, made it easier for airlines to enforce penalties against travel agents via ADMs issued through the Billing and Settlement Plan system when travellers skiplag without the agent’s knowledge.
The consequences were clearly uneven and based on whether the consumer had booked direct or via an accredited agent who unintentionally booked a so-called skiplag itinerary on behalf of their customer, said De Vries.
He added that, although airlines struggled to punish direct-booking consumers legally, they readily fined agents, which could lead to agency closures as a result of the financial impact on their business.
“This unequal treatment must be addressed,” said De Vries.
What agents can do
The WTAAA emphasised that it should not be the travel agents who bore the financial cost of their clients’ travel decisions. Despite this, agents should advise clients on the potential consequences associated with skiplagging, such as:
- Voiding of return flights,
- Losing frequent flyer benefits,
- Facing legal action,
- Having accounts banned by the airline.
Alongside its guidance to agents, the WTAAA is pressing for a dialogue between the airline industry and travel agent associations to address the ongoing issue of skiplagging.
