Airline Sales Reps Beware: These 5 Rookie Mistakes Can Wreck Your Deals!

(Estimated reading time: 2-3 minutes)

Representing an airline in today’s competitive marketplace—especially as a GSA or sales representative—is a high-stakes role. At TURNKEY READY, we are helping airline & GSA sales teams avoid missteps that cost them deals, reputation, and recurring revenue.

Here are the five biggest mistakes to avoid when meeting with travel agencies or corporate clients—and how to handle them like a pro.

1. Overpromising, Underdelivering

Trying to impress with unrealistic promises is a trap. Guaranteed fare approvals, last-minute availabilities, or system capabilities that don’t exist can backfire hard.

Real-life example: A Sales rep guaranteed (an overestimated) 24-hour group fare turnaround without clearing it internally (through the Revenue Management’s group desk). The (big) delay led to missed T/O’s brochure printing deadlines and cost the relations of a key account. Make sure to train the Sales reps team, balance ambition with credibility.

2. Not Listening to the Client’s Business Model

Too often, Sales reps pitch features instead of listening to needs. Not understanding the client’s revenue drivers or pain points can cost the deal.

Real-life example: A corporate account prioritized change flexibility over pricing. The Sales rep kept pitching lowest fares (compering them with the competitor’s ones)—until a competitor swooped in with flexible fare packaging. At TURNKEY READY we train Reps to listen first, sell second.

3. Failing to Follow Up

Initial meetings are only the beginning. A lack of follow-up is one of the top reasons promising leads fizzle out.

Real-life example: A Sales rep never followed up after a strong pitch to a TMC. Another airline did—with a recap, implementation plan, and marketing proposal. Guess who got the business?

Pro tip: Always follow up within 48 hours with personalized next steps—something we cover in our Sales Support Programs.

4. Disregarding Market Timing & Agency Cycles

Timing is everything. Walking into an agency with special ‘package’ fares in March, when brochures were finalized in January, is a missed opportunity.

Real-life example: An operator told a GSA rep, “If you’d come two months earlier, we could’ve worked together.” At TURNKEY READY, we coach reps on aligning with agency planning timelines for maximum conversion, because we simply know the operational time-schedule.

5. Underestimating Internal Politics Within the Client’s Organization

Sometimes, it’s not the product, fare, or timing that kills the deal—but internal resistance within the agency or corporate client. Travel consultants, procurement heads, and operations managers often have conflicting priorities. A successful airline sales rep must identify decision-makers early, understand the chain of influence, and adjust their pitch accordingly.

Real-life example: In a large Athens-based TMC, a Sales rep pitched an attractive business-class corporate promo deal to the owner. But he failed to involve the travel consultants, who were used to another airline’s system and found the new workflow rather user-unfriendly. The result? No push from the inside, and the deal stalled. Another rep from a competing airline secured internal buy-in by offering a personalized training session for the agency staff, turning them into advocates and closing the contract within three weeks.

At TURNKEY READY, we coach Sales reps not just to pitch to the top—but to win hearts on the ground.

Photo credits by Drazen Zigic on Freepik