WASHINGTON -- Several Midwest travel agents have received what
appears to be an account-profile questionnaire from an airline,
prompting ASTA to caution agents that they "are under no obligation
to provide information about their clientele or corporate accounts
to travel suppliers."
The questionnaire asks for sensitive information such as key
corporate accounts and CRS contract expiration date.
An ASTA spokesman declined to identify the airline on the
grounds that the questionnaire could have been sent by a "renegade
sales representative" without the carrier's knowledge.
The questionnaire also asked for the agency's number of sales
agents and independent contractors, total sales, business mix, key
contacts and its outlook for 1998. Another question asked for the
agency owner's personal interests, citing "football, concerts,
theater" as examples.
The questionnaire said the airline needs the information "to
update our files and to ensure that the information we have about
your account is accurate." ASTA said, "An airline could feasibly
use this information to build prospect lists and steal travel
agents' clients."