TRAVEL agents are to vote during the next six days on a proposal to boycott Ryanair ticket sales. The move follows a decision by the airline to reduce from 9 per cent to 7.5 per cent the commission agents receive from ticket sales.
Talks between the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) and Ryanair management this week have failed to resolve the issue. The ITAA, which represents 340 travel agents and tour operators in the Republic, has said it finds the company's position "totally unacceptable".
It immediately began a ballot of its members, to be concluded by next Thursday. The association's president, Mr P.J. Brennan, said the details of the ballot were confidential at this point.
But it was learned last night that it involves a proposal that agents refuse to handle Ryanair ticket sales. According to Mr Brennan, 75 per cent of Ryanair's sales are made through travel agents.
The ITAA says the airline informed it a fortnight ago that the reduced commission would come into effect on May 1st without any discussions on the issue.
Ryanair's move follows an international trend which has seen a number of airlines in the US and continental Europe attempt to reduce travel agents' commission on ticket sales. One travel agent said that if Ryanair "gets away with it", other airlines operating out of Ireland will inevitably try to copy the move.
Mr Brennan said Ryanair's action had caused deep discontent among travel agents throughout the State. Yesterday's meeting involved a "full and frank discussion", he said, but neither side was prepared to compromise.
He said airline ticket sales formed an important part of travel agents sales, but it was not possible to calculate how much money Ryanair's move would cost the industry. "It could be £1,000 in the case of some travel agents, it could be £7,000 for others," he said.
Mr Brennan stressed that whatever course of action travel agents decided to take would have to be voluntary. The ITAA could not impose any action on its members.
