Excuse me, dahrlings, but...

Smarty Pants Is How Smarty Pants Does
Ivanna Gabbalot

Not that I haven’t been known to stretch the truth, dahrlings. Spin some wool. Rattle a tale. And maybe that 5 star hotel I sold you didn’t have the very best view in Paris. And perhaps that isn’t, strictly speaking, the amplest pitch I’ve seen on a man.

I find these to be forgivable shortcomings on my part, Pumpkins, give or take an inch.

But out and out corruption? Fraud? Embezzlement? And we aren’t even talking about Quebec politics -- we’re talking about travel agents.

Fraud is running rampant in our business, dahrlings. There’s Saskatchewan’s T&T Travel. Hundreds of people paid for flights and hotel rooms which never happened. And Toronto agent Frank Cordona who worked for Tri-World and has been arrested for bilking over 80 people out of travel. This is not nice, people.

Ontario’s TICO is doggedly pursuing the issue, Pumpkins. Head guy Richard Smart is on the case warning business owners to be vigilant, saying “Watch out for those crooked agents.” Sound advice. The man looks like a Sears catalogue model but he is no dummy.

It’s all small potatoes compared with the good old days when there was lots of money in the coffers and devious chaps like Intra Travel’s Brian Crumblehome swindled the company. No one saw that one coming, dahrlings. Then again, that’s how fraud works. You see my point?

Ivanna Gabbalot

Columnist

Part legend, part myth, all woman: Ivanna Gabbalot is OJ’s gossip columnist and considers herself the industry’s conscience. Equally annoying to Open Jaw management and inflated egos in C-suites everywhere, Ivanna works infrequently, preferring to snipe from the sidelines.

You may also like
pilots stand in solidarity at person airport
Ratcheting Up: Hundreds of Air Canada Pilots Picket
Air Canada pilots took part in major picketing action across the country on 27AUG as they attempt to pressure the airline ...
Globus Family of Brands Expands Canadian Sales Team
The Globus family of brands is strengthening its Canadian sales team by appointing BDMs Gina Goranson in the west and Elaine ...
Direct Travel Advisor Sue Pechtel Celebrates 50 Years in Travel
Last week in Edmonton, Direct Travel advisor Sue Pechtel celebrated her 50th anniversary in the travel industry with around 90 friends, ...
Industry Partners Support ACTA Summit with Prizing and Sponsorships
ACTA has announced the grand prizes for the 2024 ACTA Summits, which include Air Canada, Riverside Luxury Cruises, CroisiEurope Cruises, and ...
Cruise Boom Driven by Need for Ease, Despite the Price
While segments of the travel industry are talking about a slowdown, cruise lines have increased prices and still see record numbers, ...

Talk Back! Post a comment: