SPAAToday
 
 

From the Vice President

THE BALANCE OF PROTECTION

We are confronted on all sides in both our business and personal lives with the need to "protect". This could be online banking, our children, our homes, our businesses or the way we do business. 

2016 is the year of "protection" on all fronts in the travel industry, whether it is IATA protecting the airlines from losses from unscrupulous agents, the European Commission and the CAA trying to protect the consumer in a variety of different ways, or travel agents trying to protect their customer databases from direct sell efforts by suppliers.

At the beginning of next month we see one of the biggest changes happening in the travel licensing arena, when IATA impose their More Frequent Remittance (MFR) process on UK travel agents. No longer will agents be able  to extend credit to their corporate clients in the same way as they have done for decades. The change from monthly BSP payment to either one or two weekly payment cycles is not insignificant. Whilst a lot of business is conducted by credit card or lodge cards, this change will affect those agents who deal with customers who cannot pay with the same frequency that IATA demands, and this typically includes local councils, government departments and Universities. All IATA agents should now be prepared for the change when it happens in June, and considerable adjustment in working practices will be needed by many.

IATA is also intending to introduce their New Generation IATA Settlement System (NewGen ISS) next year. This basically is IATA's attempt to manage spikes in an agent's business to avoid the bust-outs that have happened on a regular basis over the years. Their proposals, complicated as they are, do nothing to help established agents manage their businesses, and considerable representation to IATA is being made to ease the possible restrictions that could be imposed.  

Meanwhile it looks like the CAA is now expecting little change to the ATOL rules in the short term despite recent announcements, with the Government focus now squarely on the European Referendum and wanting nothing to detract from the campaign or the vote.  
Protection is good for all, but only when it is kept simple, balanced, straightforward and doesn't raise further barriers to the business of travel. The SPAA will continue to lobby on behalf of our members on all fronts to protect both our interests and those of our customers.

Ken McLeod - SPAA Vice President
02 May 2016

CAA Consultation  'Access to Airports' Submission - click here 

Spring Seminar 2016 'Managing Disruption' report - click here

For more pictures - visit www.spaa.org - select Gallery
 
Like us on Facebook            Follow us on Twitter

Click above to view ALL the latest SPAA posts and tweets


SPAA Travel Quiz 2015 - 'Posed' for Questioning
Register YOUR Team NOW!
see below



Calling all you Quiz fans - get your Team/s together and register Now!

It's that time of year again and we hope you are all ready to take on the challenge of this year's Quiz
We're extremely grateful to our Sponsors for 2016

American Airlines    ^
Specialist Holidays Group (SHG)^    Hurtigruten

They're offering some great Prizes

*First Prize*  
3 pairs of return tickets from Edinburgh to the USA on American Airlines
(including taxes)
Second Prize
3 x 3 night holidays from Glasgow to Lake Garda including flights, hotel & transfers
Third Prize
3 GoPro Hero4 Silver Edition Cameras with outdoor kit bundle
 
All Members and Associates are invited to enter Teams of three at our evening Heats
in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen - and the Runners-up and Winners of each Heat
will battle it out at the Final in Glasgow on Thursday 02 June in the Travel 2 Offices

HEATS

Glasgow - Tuesday 10 May - Glasgow Radisson Hotel
Edinburgh - Tuesday 17 May - Royal Overseas League on Princes Street
Aberdeen -  Tuesday 24 May - Aberdeen Douglas Hotel

Our sponsors will be providing some great prizes for the Heat Winners
including Goody Bags, and there will be tickets for the top three Teams for the
SPAA Travel Awards Dinner on Thursday 03 November at the Glasgow City Hotel

^for clarification - the SHG questions will be based on the following products^
Austravel / Citalia / Crystal Ski / Travelmood / Thomson Lakes & Mountains

So, get your Teams together for this fun - but serious - Quiz and let either
Quizmistress - Irene Darracott or SPAA Secretary - Janice Hogarth
have your Team Name and the names of your Team members by e-mail 
as soon as possible

Further details will then be sent to you relating to the times, venue and formats
for each Heat once all the entries are in. Please note that at each Heat there will be a
bar & light buffet at 6.30pm before the quiz starts at 7.00pm
... and all supporters are welcome!

There will also be a charity raffle on each of the nights for a great prize!

Janice Hogarth - SPAA Secretary
telephone : 0131 531 0625
mobile : 07795 331889
address : 16/6 Tollbooth Wynd, Edinburgh EH6 6DW



SPAA Diary 2016 - for your diary!

Tuesday 10 May : SPAA Travel Quiz - Glasgow                                         #SPAAquizgla
Tuesday 17 May : SPAA Travel Quiz - Edinburgh                                      #SPAAquizedi
Tuesday 24 May : SPAA Travel Quiz - Aberdeen                                      #SPAAquizabz
Thursday 02 June : SPAA Travel Quiz Final - Glasgow                           #SPAAquizfinal
Thursday 16 June : SPAA Summer in the City                                   #SPAAsummerball
Thursday 25 August : SPAA Golf & Spa Day - Lanark GC                              #SPAAgolf
Thursday 15 September : Autumn Seminar & Networking Lunch - Edi  #SPAAlunch
Thursday 22 September : STAR Exhibition - Aberdeen                                  #STARabz
Thursday 03 November : SPAA Travel Awards - Glasgow                       #SPAAawards
Tuesday 22 November : STAR Exhibition - Glasgow                                        #STARgla
Thursday 08 December : SPAA AGM & Christmas Lunch - Gla        #SPAAchristmas

For details visit www.spaa.org , or contact Janice Hogarth at [email protected]
(All event details are subject to change)





Haven't booked for a while ....

LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE MISSING!



car-header.jpg
   


Associate Salesbytes

Airports & airlines
Glasgow Airport Win a day trip to New York 
 
Cruise lines & ferries

Operators & other partners 
Balkan Holidays late Summer deals 
Gold Medal latest GMag 
Newmarket Holidays Top 10 holidays of the month 
Red Sea Holidays Bank Holiday weekend sale 

The ACTUAL Batmobile driving over the new 3rd bridge in Istanbul.
Get closer to the Batmobile than ever before in this exclusive film as it takes over the iconic city of Istanbul. See it cross between continents on its...
YOUTUBE.COM


NB If you find an embedded link in any of the above copies is not clickable, please contact the Associate Member in question for a replacement copy



futureSPAA on Facebook

Tailor your upcoming journey by choosing baggage allowances, ticket flexibility and other benefits according to your needs.
Find out more: http://bit.ly/1NyV80N

DoSomethingDifferent.com
Psst!
We will be launching our brand new and exciting Spanish Flavours incentive next month! Who's excited?!


Claire Dennis Somerville shared Emirates's video.


Emirates
Enjoy an exclusive preview of our enhanced Boeing 777 Business Class seat.

Like us on Facebook            Follow us on Twitter

Click above to view ALL the latest futureSPAA posts and tweets