ACTA is calling on airline and supplier partners to ensure clear, timely communication, flexible policies, and the protection of travel agency and travel advisor commissions in the wake of the recent decisions by Air Canada, Air Transat, and WestJet to suspend service to Cuba amid an island-wide fuel shortage.
“The withdrawal of service to Cuba by multiple Canadian carriers creates immediate and significant disruption for travellers, as well as for travel agencies and travel advisors working to support them,” said Suzanne Acton-Gervais, President of ACTA.
“With these sudden changes, thousands of Canadians are facing rebookings, destination changes, or cancellations,” she added. “This underscores why working with professional travel agencies and travel advisors matters. Travel agencies and travel advisors are advocating for their clients, securing alternative arrangements, navigating supplier policies, and managing complex re-accommodation efforts during a highly fluid situation.”
ACTA notes that suspension of service to a major sun destination like Cuba adds considerable strain across the system, adding that reaccommodating travellers at scale requires coordination among airlines, tour operators, hotels, and insurance providers, and it places significant additional workload on travel agencies and travel advisors across the country.
To that end, the association says it is equally important to have the availability of high-quality self-service tools that enable travel agencies and travel advisors to efficiently manage changes, access inventory, process refunds, and complete rebookings directly within booking platforms – rather than remaining on hold for extended periods of time.
“These requests are not new,” ACTA continues. “They are well known to our partners and suppliers as ACTA’s Travel Agency and Travel Advisor ‘ASKs’ – Supplier Best Practices, which outline practical measures to improve servicing, transparency, and operational efficiency across the travel ecosystem. In times of disruption, adherence to these best practices is essential to ensuring that travel agencies and travel advisors can continue to effectively support Canadian travellers.”
“Travel agencies and travel advisors are dedicating extensive time and expertise to assist affected clients,” added Acton-Gervais. “They must be equipped with high quality self-service tools and supported with fair compensation for the critical work they are doing during this disruption.”
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