Global Travel Network (GTN) co-founder and chief executive Rob Beecher says the war in the Middle East is the latest crisis the travel industry is getting better at dealing with.
“This too will pass,’’ says the veteran, now into his 38th year in the travel industry.
New Zealand owned and operated, GTN provides air consolidation from a wide range of airlines, support and buying group services for more than 300 agents.
That’s made up of specialist VFR agents, non-branded independents and those who belong to three big broker groups.
. . . Sales Soared
In spite of the conflict, sales went ‘through the roof’ soon after the outbreak of hostilities, says Beecher.
There were some immediate refunds but those getting their money back opted for other flights and he says that the Kiwi market is very resilient.
Chinese carriers have picked up a lot of traffic and Singapore Airlines and Malaysian Airlines flights were full soon after the Feb attack on Iran and this has continued.
If this had happened in the 1990s the whole country would have shut up, he says. However, wars, terrorism and a pandemic have had the opposite effect, and people want to travel while they can.
. . . Big Turnaround
The crisis means reduced capacity. This is a dramatic turnaround from before Feb 28 and what threatened to be over-capacity in the second half of this year.
Air New Zealand, Qantas have cut capacity on their networks and Emirates and Qatar schedules have been severely disrupted or paused as fuel prices have soared and a ceasefire remains fragile.
Beecher earlier this year said there was concern over too much capacity but scheduled reduced capacity by North American airlines and Chinese carriers come at a time when EK and QR have cut or reduced the crucial pathway to Europe for Kiwis.
. . . 10 Year Mark
Beecher founded GTN with Allen Bell 10 years ago based on three pillars; honestly. integrity, and transparency.
Despite point-of-sale airline commissions falling sharply, the company shares the benefits of back-end arrangements and overrides with agents here, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
The firm continued to expand during C-19 and Beecher says since being formed growth had been in ‘double digits’.
