A long awaited rule change by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) enabling agents based in one country to issue tickets in another came into force on Saturday (January 15).
The rule change will benefit both agents and travellers and some sources said it would save the industry hundreds of millions of pounds a year.
Under the new rules, for which agents had long argued, they will be able to issue tickets in any country rather than just the country in which they are accredited.
This will allow them to book clients' tickets in the country where air fares are cheaper. It is likely to mean that booking two single tickets will be cheaper buying a return ticket.
Indivdual travellers who book onthe web will also get the benefit of the new freedom to book from where they like.
For example, instead of booking a return ticket from London to Hong Kong, they will be able to book a single from London and single back from Hong Kong which would save them hundreds of pounds.
The new rule is expected to see a fall in the price of some tickets, especialy in the UK where air fares have traditionally tended to be higher than in some other countries.
Eurostar announces record passenger figure
Eurostar the high speed train service linking London with Paris and Brussels reported record passenger figures for 2004. The service said passenger numbers had risen by 15% compared with 2003 to 7.27m.
It also said punctuality was up by 10.9% on 2003 to a record 89.2% and sales up by 15% on 2003 to £433m.
Paul Charles, director of communications, said the improved performance was down to the opening of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in the UK in 2003, better punctuality and extra services.
“These record figures prove that business and leisure travellers have recognised the transformation in our service,” he said.
Planned changes this year include onboard Wi-Fi technology, the separation of business and leisure passengers and the completion of the re-furbishment programme.
ACTE appoints new directors
Two leading players in the European business travel industry have been elected to the board of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE).
Isabelle Koch, vice president of sales EMEA for CWT becomes the Association's board member for the EMEA region and Chris Crowley, sales and marketing director for Concorde Hotels becomes a board member at large.
They are also joined as a new member by Mary Kay Bellersen, vice president of Citigroup's Interactive travel programme, representing the USA. All three will serve to 2007.
Ms Koch has worked in the industry for 15 years with BA, Air France and Disneyland Paris before joining Carlson.
Mr Crowley has worked in the industry for 19years with Radisson, Portman and Accor. He joined Concorde Hotels at the start of this year.
* ACTE EMEA has announced a full programme of forums for Europe this year. Besides those to be held in Brussels in February 17 and Berlin on February 21-22, the others are Paris on March 10, Stockholm April 5, London April 14, Amsterdam June 2 and Madrid October 4.