19 May 2008

IATA Madrid staff urged to learn about UK trade

Business travel agents are calling on IATA to educate its Madrid staff about the UK marketplace after the association moved its support team from the UK to the Spanish capital.

They say since the relocation it has been difficult to get a response to queries or problems from the association.

"The support in Madrid has not been good," said Don Lunn, former chairman and now fellow to the Guild of Travel Management Companies. Ã¢â¬ÅâœThey donÃ¢â¬â¢t understand our market problems."

IATA UK country manager Noel Gilmartin admitted there had been teething problems since the Madrid move but assured TMCs that a new customer relations system has now been put into place.

"We are also meeting with TMCs next week to discuss these issues and how we can improve," he added.

Speaking at the GTMC Conference in Istanbul, Gilmartin also assured agents that IATA had no plans to increase the frequency of Bank Settlement Plan remittance from monthly to fortnightly following changes in Scandinavia.

"We have no such agenda. It might be that certain carriers do it individually but it is important to say there are no current plans in the UK to increase the frequency of remittance," he said.

by Bev Fearis