WASHINGTON -- Travel agents won't be throwing a party to mark the
fifth anniversary of the airline commission cuts, but in retrospect
it was "a blessing" in disguise, according to ASTA and ARTA.
"The days of the airlines dictating what agents do and what ASTA
does are over," said an ASTA spokesman. "They are not our focal
point anymore."
ASTA said most agents have adjusted to the cuts, making up lost
revenue by selling other products. "Many agents are doing as well,
if not better, than before. They have put themselves on a path for
future profitability," the spokesman said.
"In hindsight, it has been a blessing of sorts," ARTA president
John Hawks agreed. "It pushed a lot of small independent retailers
to think like small-business owners first and travel agents
second."