Evening Star
This practice is not just associated with the scheduled carriers. 99% of the high street travel agents are owned by one or other of the tour companies. IE. Thomas Cook owns JMC Airlines. So, if you go into an Airtours owned shop, (Going Places) you will not find brochures for First Choice or Cosmos for instance. You will be found a holiday that is operated by one of the travel agents subsidiaries. Such as Airtours the airline and Airtours the Inclusive Tour company. Don't think the travel agents are doing their best for you. They are in business to make money first and foremost and may not be showing you all the holidays available to your chosen destination. It is hard to find an independent travel agent these days that will look at different itineraries for you. I am lucky and have one near buy, but, at times as mentioned above, if I do not give them specific perimeters they also try and put me on flights that will afford them the best commission. It pays to look around at more than one shop in the high street.