SkyTeam Workshop Entices Top Travel Agencies

The SkyTeam workshop proved to be one of the most popular local travel events of 2003.

More than a hundred of Greece’s top travel agents arrived last month at the rooftop restaurant and bar area of the Hilton Athens to take part in a workshop organized by SkyTeam airline representatives here in Greece – Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta and Korean Air.

Thanasis Cavdas of Korean Air started off the workshop organized by local representative airlines of the global airline alliance SkyTeam with a synopsis of its history.

Guests to the event were informed on the many advantages of the alliance. Together, these airlines execute more flights than any other alliance in Greece with 102 scheduled weekly flights to and from Athens and Thessaloniki — this increases by 28% to 130 scheduled weekly flights in the summer of this year. And globally, the airlines in this alliance fly to 512 destinations in 114 countries and are concentrated in the most competitive markets where nearly 80% of airline travelers want to fly.

Also, on a global basis, they were informed that SkyTeam was the only alliance that was able to increase booking performance in the first nine months of 2003. The world’s other two major alliances showed a decrease in bookings.

Air France’s general manager for Greece and Cyprus, Claude Maire, gives a quick rundown on the airline, which is one of the four SkyTeam on-line carriers in Greece.

Guests were then told that under today’s airline industry conditions, passengers desire to travel in comfort and safety. They also wish for flexibility and a variety of choices when it comes to international travel. On top of this, they demand economic prices, quick and easy connections, and even better services.

For a single airline to cover all these needs would require unending funds along with complete freedom from governmental intervention in order to succeed.

The passengers’ wants and needs mentioned, however, could be covered through flexible cooperation agreements among a number of airlines, said the SkyTeam representatives.

Guests were also informed on SkyTeam’s aims for the immediate future, which include a harmonization of sales and a pricing policy: “An ambitious program that entails hard work and mutual concessions from our alliance members.”