Flight Centre Closes 428 Stores

[icyfroth]

Ailing travel firm Flight Centre will permanently close 40 per cent of its Australian stores by the end of July as the economic fallout from the deadly COVID-19 pandemic escalates.

In an announcement today, the company revealed the new closures were part of an effort to reduce annual costs by $1.9 billion.

It involves the closure of half its global shopfronts, and around 428 of Flight Centre’s 944 Australian stores.

Around 6000 support and sales staff have been stood down temporarily – or in some cases, made redundant – out of the company’s 20,000-strong workforce.

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/forums/postpage/board-id/2500000007

I guess that was inevitable, seeing flights are grounded and borders closed across the world.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

that link is wrong.

icy, maybe post the link again

[halfgweilo]

It doesn't surprise me as more and more savvy travellers are now booking direct. All travel agents are only but a convenience but not often the cheapest option. I believe in 3-4 years time there will be no more travel agents in Aust.

[icyfroth]

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@icyfroth wrote:

Ailing travel firm Flight Centre will permanently close 40 per cent of its Australian stores by the end of July as the economic fallout from the deadly COVID-19 pandemic escalates.

In an announcement today, the company revealed the new closures were part of an effort to reduce annual costs by $1.9 billion.

It involves the closure of half its global shopfronts, and around 428 of Flight Centre’s 944 Australian stores.

Around 6000 support and sales staff have been stood down temporarily – or in some cases, made redundant – out of the company’s 20,000-strong workforce.

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/forums/postpage/board-id/2500000007

I guess that was inevitable, seeing flights are grounded and borders closed across the world.

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erk what a mess

[icyfroth]

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@k1ooo-slr-sales wrote:

that link is wrong.

icy, maybe post the link again

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Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Kloo.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/travel/coronavirus-australia-flight-centre-closes-428-store...

[davidc4430]

every travel agent will be closing i think

[bright.ton42]

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@halfgweilo wrote:

It doesn't surprise me as more and more savvy travellers are now booking direct. All travel agents are only but a convenience but not often the cheapest option. I believe in 3-4 years time there will be no more travel agents in Aust.

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But for those who aren't savvy travel agents can be a godsend.  It's obvious why they've had to close, but so sad for them all. 

[icyfroth]

It's ok to book direct if it's simple itinerary, but where there are a lot of connections to be made, a travel agent is invaluable, and can save fares in the long run.

[bright.ton42]

Exactly my thoughts too icy, invaluable for say people like me.  Not having travelled for years if I decided I would like to do a world tour of sorts

Spoiler

couldn't anyway cos of funds and a phobia of flying.... but just saying

I would welcome the options and advice from a travel agency as I wouldn't know where to start.

It's just horrible seeing these huge businesses fold they way they are and just makes the devastating destruction of Covid19 hit all  the more harder.

[eol-products]

I have heard of people booking direct and forgetting time zones