<B> Letters</B>
<B>Take Names Off of Tickets</B>
When will corporate travel managers realize that the best way to reduce travel cost is to get the passenger name off airline tickets?
Having the passenger name on an airline ticket is the one factor that allows airlines to maintain their predatory pricing structures. If a name isn't on a ticket, you can sell it or give it away, and the airlines must honor it. Conversely, you can buy a ticket at the last minute from someone else and the airlines must honor it. Think of what this would mean to business travelers! No more worrying about back-to-back tickets, advance purchase requirements, hidden city problems.
Why should an airline ticket be different from any other commodity? You can sell your house, or car, or theater tickets, or give them away and they still have value. But an airline ticket is only a piece of paper, because the airlines will only honor it for the passenger whose name is on the ticket.
Sure, federal regulations require airlines to maintain passenger name lists. But passenger names don't have to be on tickets to meet this requirement. Airlines routinely obtain passenger names for last minute travelers. They also routinely verify passenger names for security purposes. Having that name on a ticket is the one tool which enables airlines to really take the traveling public for a ride.
It would behoove business travelers and their companies to press for action by their elected representatives to stop the abuse of the traveling public.
<i>Raul Gual
Auburn, N.H.</i>
<a name="gen"><B>Genisys Clarifies Benefits</B>
The article featuring Genisys Reservations Systems (<I>BTN,</I> Nov. 16, 1998) accurately reflects our success as evidenced by the growing number of corporate, agency and service provider customers.
Readers might get the impression that the capabilities of the single-user systems Business Travel News described are advantages over Genisys. While all automated processes are designed to have advantages over current methods of making reservations--phone, fax, queuing, etc.--Genisys fills the needs of the entire industry today.
Corporate and agency customers chose Genisys not only because its average confirmation time is 15 seconds, it is completely customizable and has superior reporting capability, but also because it is available for all service providers. Imagine a travel department having to use a different proprietary reservation system for each airline. Genisys provides connectivity between the customer and the service provider of their choice. Small wonder why limousine industry leaders choose to get reservations from their corporate customers via Genisys.
Another huge benefit is Genisys' link with all the CRS giants: Apollo, Sabre and Worldspan.
<i>Mark A. Kenny
President</i>
<a name="video"> <b>A Vote For Video</b>
Thanks for the information on videoconferencing (<I>BTN,</I> Aug. 3, 1998). It sparked my interest to see if we can replicate their savings. Since our company spends from $10,000 to $15,000 for a one-day committee meeting of five to 10 attendees (the target meeting size mentioned in the article), it should not be hard to reduce our costs through videoconferencing.
I was surprised to find an article in your publication that basically discourages travel, but as a meeting planner and corporate travel program administrator, it is important that I read about new technologies and ways to reduce my company's travel budget.
Your publication really helps me stay on top of the travel business. Just from reading it, I am able to talk trends, speak about cutting edge best practices in travel and challenge corporate policies in discussions with corporate travel managers, other agencies and meeting planning companies.
<i>Deanna Smith
Irvine, Calif.