Emirates Airline’s Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, East Asia and Australasia, Richard Vaughan has vowed continued support for the agency network, saying the airline has no further plans to cut commissions. “Emirates genuinely value and appreciate the agency network,” Mr Vaughan told e-Travel Blackboard during an exclusive interview.
“Online selling is a fact of life, we have customers that we have to cater for, but travel agents still deliver 85 per cent of business.” Mr Vaughan, based in Perth but in Melbourne for the Emirates Melbourne Cup celebrations yesterday, said the support for travel agents has been spearheaded by its President, Tim Clark. 
The drop from 9 per cent to 7 per cent commission on airfares, in line with other airlines, most reduced it even further, is not expected to be reduced any further, according to Mr Vaughan. “No further plans to reduce it, not in my forward planning anyway,” he said.
Unlike most airlines, Emirates also allow for agents to redeem commission on fuel surcharges by incorporating it into the price of tickets. “It is still revenue and still commissionable.  We want to be transparent … publishing the true price, it is dishonest not to show it,” Mr Vaughan said.
Regarding the airline’s decision to increase operations into Australia in 2009 by adding new flights and additional capacity when it introduces its A380 in February to service non-stop flights between Brisbane and Melbourne to Dubai, Mr Vaughan said it was all part of the airline’s commitment to the market. “The 700 seats per day and 63 services a week shows strong commitment,” he said.
“Australia is extremely important to us, and we won’t lessen services.” Mr Vaughan said the airline has fought, and won for more presence in the market, but said there was still a long way to go towards an open skies agreement.
“The Kiwi’s have done it, now we just have to wait for Australia,” he said. Mr Vaughan said the outlook for 2009 was positive with strong forward bookings, although addressed uncertainty as a possibility but something he says the airline will face head on. “Not sure where this financial fiasco will go, but we are very confident,” Mr Vaughan said. “There’ll always be bumps in the road, but business is good in and out”

“We have a concerted effort to grow.  Our network is strong, and that in itself helps us sell.”

source: www.etravelblackboard.com