Travel agents boycott Lufthansa

17 February 2004

FRANKFURT – Hundreds of German travel agencies have launched a three-day boycott of Lufthansa in protest at a decision by the airline to cut commissions on ticket bookings.

More than 660 of 4,000 travel agents surveyed aim to join the boycott and refuse to sign a new contract with Germany’s main carrier, the German Travel Agents’ Association (DRV) said.

During the protest, travel agents will not sell tickets for Lufthansa flights, the association said.

Lufthansa plans from 1 September to cut the commission of 5 to 9 percent paid on tickets sold by travel agents for its flights. Travel agents will have to pass the costs on to customers.

The DRV said the commission are worth about EUR 200 million a year. The smaller and medium-sized travel agents in particular fear a loss of earnings and rising ticket prices.

A Lufthansa spokeswoman said the airline did not expect a large drop in bookings. Some 80 percent of the contracts based on sales volume had been changed to the new system, she said.

DPA
Subject: German news