Tui eager to start link to Ryanair Ian Taylor
Tui will commence selling flights sourced direct from Ryanair “as soon as possible” following last week’s ground-breaking agreement between Europe’s biggest carrier and biggest integrated operator. The group already sells Ryanair
seats in some markets, but the agreement to source seats direct via an API connection to Ryanair’s platform will have most impact in the UK. Tui will connect to Ryanair’s
entire schedule but only flights offering access to accommodation on the Tui platform will be available to agencies and customers. The agreement is open-ended,
but Tui insisted the deal has “no implications” for Tui Airways. It envisages selling more than one
million Ryanair seats a year, boosting its dynamic packaging capacity. However, one million carryings would be less than 0.6% of Ryanair’s forecast 183 million passengers this year. A Tui spokesperson revealed
“there is no fixed date” for the launch of directly sourced Ryanair flights but confirmed: “We want it to be as soon as possible. It will take some weeks to create the link to bring content into our systems.” Tui already sells Ryanair
flights sourced via GDSs “in certain markets”, mostly through German travel agencies.
Nothing in the Ryanair schedule
will be excluded from Tui access, but Tui will restrict availability to “anywhere you can combine a flight with accommodation” on its platform. Tui already sources flights direct
from carriers including easyJet, Lufthansa and German subsidiary Eurowings, and is midway through a two-month trial with Wizz Air in Austria. Chief executive Sebastian Ebel acknowledged: “We’re purchasing 30%-40% of seats from other airlines mainly on routes we don’t fly.” The spokesperson confirmed Tui
“has relations with leisure airlines in all markets” but insisted: “There are no implications for Tui Airways. This comes on top of our inhouse capacity.
Tui Airways is growing in the UK.” However, the Ryanair deal will
have the biggest impact in the UK given the size of the carrier here. Announcing the agreement, Tui said Ryanair flights would be combined with the company’s “full offering” but “will be particularly beneficial for the [direct-sell] First Choice brand” relaunched last September as an online, app-based platform targeted at younger customers. The spokesperson said: “First
Choice will benefit the most because it looks so much to dynamic packaging.” The group reported selling more than 2.5 million dynamic packages in
its last full year. i Comment, page 47
£20 phone sale fee defended by Hoseasons
Juliet Dennis and Samantha Mayling
Hoseasons has defended a decision to impose a £20 surcharge for all phone bookings without informing agents in advance of the introduction of the levy. The self-catering specialist said
the change had been brought in before Christmas with “no direct communication” but insisted all agents would be told if they phoned Hoseasons and given the choice to continue their booking offline.
4 22 FEBRUARY 2024 The company said the move,
which also affects consumer bookings, was part of its strategy to invest in its online business. A spokesperson said: “As a
predominantly online business we have invested heavily in our digital capabilities to ensure the online booking journey is as clear and easy to use for agents and guests as possible. “A small offline admin charge
for phone support is not exclusive to Hoseasons and there are exclusions when the fee is waived, including when more information
is required regarding arrangements for customers with disabilities or impairments. We remain committed to offering the best service to our customers and agents.” The operator said it would “always
support more-complex bookings offline where required”. Agents gave a mixed reaction.
The Advantage Travel Partnership chief commercial officer Kelly Cookes said: “We have a commercial relationship with Hoseasons and will be discussing this with them should they notify us of this change.”
Hoseasons says there are
exclusions when the phone fee is waived
InteleTravel UK and Ireland
managing director Tricia Handley- Hughes said the move appeared to penalise those with limited connectivity and questioned the £20 fee. Westoe Travel director Graeme
Brett said: “We would not appreciate operators charging for call centre bookings if there had been problems with the website booking.” Pole Travel director Jill Waite said
it seemed “unfair” to target those uncomfortable with booking online, but said: “It might send more people to agents to book online.”
travelweekly.co.uk
PICTURE: Shutterstock/
PeopleImages.com/Yuri A
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