Northwest Airlines Matches Commission Caps

Northwest Airlines announced today a new travel agency commission structure for all domestic travel originating in the United States (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and Canada.

Effective 12:01 a.m. (Central time) on August 24, 2001, Northwest tickets purchased in the United States for travel within and between the U.S. and Canada will earn a 5 percent base commission with a maximum payment of $20 for each round-trip and $10 for each one-way trip. Tickets purchased in Canada for travel between Canada and the United States will earn a 5 percent base commission with a maximum payment of $28 (CAD) for each round-trip and $14 (CAD) for each one-way trip.

This change applies to all ARC and IATA appointed agency locations, including Satellite Ticket Printers (STPs) and In Plants. The new commission also applies to Miscellaneous Charge Orders (MCOs), Prepaid Ticket Advice (PTAs) and Northwest validated tickets where a Northwest segment is not included on the ticket. This structure does not apply to Internet bookings, where the commission remains at zero percent.

Northwest Airlines will have no further comment on this issue.