Nice try, but Ryanair must do more to win over agents
Business travel agents aren’t the only ones who remain underwhelmed by Ryanair’s decision to make its seats available on GDSs.
Ryanair announced earlier this month that it was in talks with several GDS and planned to make its fares available on at least one by the summer.
However, when asked in a TravelMole poll if the move was enough to win over agents, almost two-thirds said ‘no’.
Earlier this month, the Guild of Travel Management Companies called on Ryanair to do more to convince members of its commitment to business travellers.
At the time, GTMC chief executive Paul Wait said: "Ryanair’s biggest job is convincing the GTMC’s members that it is more than losses that are forcing it to address the business travel sector."
Ryanair lost €35 million in the first quarter of the year.
Wait said the airline’s decision to sell on GDSs was a move in the right direction but added that travel management companies would remain unconvinced "until they [Ryanair] commit to investing in the products and serviced required by both travel managers and the business travellers themselves".
In the past, Ryanair has dismissed the idea of putting its fares on GDSs and paying travel agents commission for selling seats, saying this would drive up fares for the consumer.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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