Mark, I have no desire to enter a pissing contest with you or anyone
else about this, but since you took the liberty to message this here to
the list and to me personally, first I think you meant to say 'ethical'
(not ethnic) travel agency...and, Secondly, I never engaged in the
kick-back game nor did any of my friends who were also owners. We knew
of agencies that did, but we had staff and other overhead concerns.
In any business is never good policy 'do' everything that everybody
else does. We all know some ethical car mechanics (they may be
out-numbered by the antithetical), and airline service we know that all
of them are not mediocre. I took an Eurowings flight in the summer of
2000, before push back, the FA kindly instructed a gentleman that he was
sitting in a seat (that I requested remain empty...they asked me at
check -in) that was blocked. I didn't rat the guy out...but that was
their fastidiousness at work.
The bottom line is this not all airlines are crappy and they all
can't be Singapore Airlines either...the reason, it's about separating
yourself from the pack. I don't believe for a minute that all corporate
accounts demand kick-backs (nor are they jizz-bags), and I do not
believe that all agencies obliged them. I may not know what I'm talking
about according to you...but I do know this, the head of studio cared
about concorde and first class specific seats (for themselves and the
other above the line folks) that limos/driver be shit-sharp and on time,
that Five-star hotels be impeccable, after all they were paying rack
expected every cent of it to be represented in their stays (And the
request didn't end here). They could give a rat's ass about any kind of
rebate. They expected (and still do) that an agent always be at the top
of his/her game in making sure all this came together...fashionably and
seamless. And if there was a delay or cancellation...there'd better be a
plan B, C and a D all at the ready! And personally I don't think the
studios are the only corporations with such high standards!...But then
again..maybe I don't know what I'm talking about......
Greg