EWL,
I've worked for a few retail companies, and they were all based on selling a product made/provided by someone else; the business operated and (hopefully) made a profit by buying the product at wholesale, adding value and a margin in any of a number of ways, and then selling the final package to customers - the retailer shared some commercial risk with the producer.
Of such shared risk true partnerships are formed; it seems to me unremarkable that airlines and Travel Agents have such fleeting loyalties towards each other without it, and that airlines increasingly prefer to minimise costs by selling direct - especially where the administrators are taking the huge commercial risk with the AN kick start.
Best of luck with DJ - and protect your sources.
Cheers