Brokers !
May I ask what on earth people have against brokers... As a broker (surprise eh?). I'd like to point out a few factors/home truths that will come as no shock to anyone.
1. A good broker acts as a filter for much of the information that airlines don't actually need...
2. A good broker guarantees the payment will come for the flight - even when the client may screw us over - or indeed when the airline mess up or go AOG.
3. Brokers account for a decent percentage of most of the exec-jet airlines work, why do you think this is ? Allow me to explain; whilst brokers get a hard time about sitting in their office playing about with avinode (!) and making a few quid, actually what we (and also people like NetJets and Skyjet) do; is put time, effort and money into marketing to clients people... brokers make reasonable money yes, but re-invest to regenerate the industry and bring new blood to the airlines that often berate the hand that feeds a good portion of their business.
4. Someone mentioned a brokers commitment to the client when things go wrong... what utter rubbish. Perhaps you are dealing with wrong brokers my friend. In all the years of doing this job (about 13), I have never booked a flight where a client hasn't got their aircraft... and even when an airline has totally kippered me, the client will still get an aircraft. I recall last year where an airline hadn't bothered to tell me about a tech (on the day of flight) and it cost me an additional GBP 13k to provide the client with a larger aircraft to keep the client happy. The industry is very busy right now and it is funny to see how the quality of customer service falls with some companies, recall harder times when airlines were champing at the bit to get the flight - these are the things that brokers contend with...
In any case, having worked in airline and brokerage, both work hard and rewards pay dividend for those who keep this in mind !
Clump (that's me getting off my soapbox)
Sussexbroker
Last edited by SussexBroker; 21st June 2007 at 19:42.