Airlines tell Canadian travel agents they’re listening at Lufthansa Group forum in Toronto

# What happened

# What the airlines said Christina Meakin, who leads Lufthansa's Canadian sales team, acknowledged airlines aren't flawless. She replied to an agent question about whether carriers intentionally make things hard: "Do we intentionally try to make it hard for travel agents? Of course, not … Are we 100% super-duper? No, we are not." Meakin said airlines "for sure" can "make it better" for agents and emphasized that, despite technology upgrades, Lufthansa values "that human touch."

John Holt, United's director of corporate global sales and a former travel agent, told attendees "I feel your pain." He said United collects agent feedback and refers it to higher-ups, stressing that the feedback is "taken seriously."

Ana Paula De Souza, Air Canada's director of sales Canada and global accounts, reassured agents: "We hear you. We are here for you." She noted that agency needs vary and that Air Canada must consider those differences when responding.

# Why it matters to agents Agents routinely face booking, commission, distribution and customer-service friction with carriers. The forum gave agents a direct line to senior airline sales staff and public acknowledgement that those problems exist. The comments signal a willingness among the three carriers to take agent input back to decision-makers and to balance digital tools with personal support.

• Lufthansa: Acknowledgment of shortcomings and a stated preference for keeping personal contact in the agent relationship even while enhancing technology.
• United: A senior sales director with agent experience pledging to escalate agent feedback internally.
• Air Canada: Direct assurance that the airline hears agents and will account for different agency needs when shaping responses.

# What agents can do next

• Document specific, repeatable problems (examples, timestamps, booking references) so feedback to airlines is actionable.
• Ask airline reps at events which internal teams handle escalations and the expected response timeline.
• Request a named contact or escalation path for recurring issues to reduce time spent chasing resolutions.

# Photo note

# Bottom line Airline leaders publicly admitted agents face obstacles and committed to taking agent feedback up the chain. They framed the response as ongoing work: improving technology while keeping personal contact and tailoring support to differing agency needs.