Flight Centre agents may be enticed to sell more of Tigerair Australia’s low-cost fares now that its head office has signed a three-year deal with the budget airline.
As part of the agreement, Tigerair will provide Flight Centre with access to its full suite of products, low-cost airfares and a range of optional add-on ancillaries.
Consultants will be able to use the airline’s dedicated agency support team who can assist travel agents with any queries. Tigerair is also looking to introduce real-time live chat sessions.
A Flight Centre spokesperson told KarryOn that the travel company will earn a margin on fares and on ancillary products such as seat selection and baggage.
Other aspects of the agreement include joint sales and marketing activity designed to increase sales while also driving awareness to Tigerair’s new-look product and experience.
Rob Sharp, Tigerair Australia’s CEO, said the carrier is working with agents “where it makes commercial sense” such as its new Bali service commencing on 23 March this year.
“We see this partnership as win-win for both companies as we both seek to drive incremental demand for our products.”
Rob Sharp, Tigerair Australia CEO
Flight Centre’s boss, Graham Turner, said the new agreement with Tigerair again highlighted Flight Centre’s commitment to offering travelers the widest choice of airfares.
“Tigerair has developed a solid presence on domestic and (commencing soon) international routes and its offering has become an attractive proposition for our leisure and corporate travel customers,” he said.
“We look forward to working more closely with Tigerair to grow the market and help it achieve its aims as it enters its next phase of growth.”
The strategic partnership is a pretty big deal because it highlights the changing relationship between low-cost airlines and agents.
Traditionally their business was fairly split because travellers tend to go online to book their fares. Over the last year this tension seems to have simmered as more low-cost airlines turned to GDS platforms to publish their products and increase sales through consultants.
