The travel agent community has reacted with outrage to Minster of International Relations, Naledi Pandor’s comments accusing agents of exploiting travellers and profiteering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are appealing to travel agents to assist travellers and not to exploit them because we have been told by travellers, who are contacting the command centre, that they are being made to buy another ticket when they are already a holder of a ticket to travel. We are asking that travel agents be appreciative of the circumstance of urgency in which we find ourselves and not use this for profit making,” the Minister said in an inter-ministerial media briefing this week.
Owner of Belskye Travel, Bela Gomes, says she was blown out of the water by these statements. “I have been working non-stop since the end of February to assist passengers with cancellations and amendments, which have in many cases needed to be changed numerous times due to the constantly changing airline rules and travel restrictions. I have worked all hours of the day and night to assist passengers stranded in different time zones to bring them home. Despite not having any income coming in for the past month, I have not charged one of my clients for this assistance as it falls within the scope of the services that I provide.
“The Minister should check the facts before making sweeping statements in a time when agents have taken a beating. We are completely beholden to airline and hotel policies and, in instances where funds are being held back, this is not due to restrictions imposed by the agent,” she adds.
Asata has released a statement saying it took exception to the comments made by the Minister. “There is no question that South African travel agents have been exemplary in these unprecedented times, which have left them with no income for the foreseeable future and very little support from the airline community, which is currently holding the monies that have been paid over for tickets not flown.”
The association added that there were growing tensions between the global agency community and airlines with regard to the switching off of refund platforms and the enforcement of ‘vouchers’ for assumed future travel.
“The airline is, in effect, holding on to the ticket monies without being able to fulfil the service purchased,” says ceo, Otto de Vries, adding that even SAA had de-activated refunds.
“We respectfully ask Minster Pandor to review and retract her public statement about travel agents, so that we may forge ahead with our critical role in safeguarding the corporate and leisure travel of the residents of South Africa in future,” Otto said.
