AirTran has joined other major airlines in cutting travel agent commissions.
The carrier will stop paying 5% commissions 31 December, AirTran announced.
The airline was one of the last US carriers paying commissions.
Said Paul Clements, general manager-sales, in a letter to agents:
“I am sure each of you is painfully aware of the financial crunch created by spiraling fuel costs, not only from a personal perspective, but from the havoc these costs have wreaked on the financial health of an already fragile airline industry.”
Higher fuel costs were not the only reasons, however.
He cited the move as a “critical decision necessary…to allow us to continue to aggressively pursue new opportunities and stimulate new demand.”
Report by David Wilkenng
