How can you create flexible travel policies for your airline partners?

1 Understand your airline partners' needs

The first step to creating flexible travel policies is to understand what your airline partners want and need from you. Different airlines may have different goals, challenges, and preferences when it comes to working with travel agencies. For example, some airlines may prioritize revenue over occupancy, while others may value customer satisfaction over profit. Some airlines may have strict policies on refunds, changes, and fees, while others may be more open to negotiation and compromise. To find out what your airline partners' needs are, you can do some research, ask for feedback, and communicate regularly with them.

2 Negotiate mutually beneficial terms

The second step to creating flexible travel policies is to negotiate terms that are mutually beneficial for both you and your airline partners. You want to strike a balance between offering your customers flexibility and convenience, and ensuring your airline partners' profitability and sustainability. For example, you can negotiate lower commissions, higher discounts, or exclusive deals in exchange for more flexibility on refunds, changes, or fees. You can also agree on minimum booking volumes, cancellation windows, or loyalty incentives to secure your partnership. The key is to be transparent, respectful, and collaborative in your negotiation process.

3 Communicate your policies clearly

The third step to creating flexible travel policies is to communicate them clearly to your customers and your airline partners. You want to make sure that everyone understands what the policies are, how they work, and what the benefits are. You can use different channels and methods to communicate your policies, such as your website, social media, email, phone, or chat. You can also use visual aids, examples, or testimonials to illustrate your policies and show their value. The key is to be consistent, accurate, and informative in your communication.

4 Monitor and evaluate your policies

The fourth step to creating flexible travel policies is to monitor and evaluate them regularly. You want to track how your policies are performing, how they are affecting your sales, customer satisfaction, and retention, and how they are impacting your airline partners' revenue, occupancy, and feedback. You can use different tools and metrics to monitor and evaluate your policies, such as analytics, surveys, reviews, or reports. You can also ask for feedback from your customers and your airline partners to get their opinions and suggestions. The key is to be proactive, responsive, and adaptable in your monitoring and evaluation.

5 Update and improve your policies

The fifth step to creating flexible travel policies is to update and improve them as needed. You want to keep your policies relevant, competitive, and attractive in the changing travel and tourism market. You can update and improve your policies based on the results of your monitoring and evaluation, the feedback from your customers and your airline partners, and the best practices and trends in the industry. You can also test and experiment with different policies to see what works best for your business and your partnership. The key is to be flexible, innovative, and customer-oriented in your updating and improvement.

6 Celebrate and reward your partnership

The sixth and final step to creating flexible travel policies is to celebrate and reward your partnership with your airline partners. You want to acknowledge and appreciate the value and benefits of working together, and to strengthen your relationship and loyalty. You can celebrate and reward your partnership in different ways, such as sending thank-you notes, gifts, or certificates, hosting events, or offering incentives. You can also share your success stories, testimonials, or case studies with your customers, your team, or the media. The key is to be grateful, supportive, and proud of your partnership.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?