Coronavirus: House of Travel moves to cut hours

Travellers have had to put their plans on hold. Photo / Supplied

One of the country's biggest travel agents is moving towards a four-day week while an agents' group says today's "don't travel" message could be mis-interpreted.

House of Travel has started a review of working hours that would see full-time staff reduce to a four-day working week, and part-time staff reduce hours by 20 per cent.

If the decision is made to implement the proposal it would become effective on April 1.

The Covid-19 virus has had wide-ranging implications for the global travel industry which
has seen an unprecedented impact such as border closures, airline schedule
reductions, self-isolation, supplier cancellation of services and customers deferring or
cancelling their travel requirements.

Earlier this week Flight Centre said it had implemented a four-day working week for its more than 1200 staff throughout its 140 New Zealand stores.

Staff there will be required to take either annual leave or leave without pay to cover the one less day each week for the next two months.

House of Travel chief executive Mark O'Donnell said the group along with the rest of the New Zealand travel industry, has been vastly impacted with the change in market conditions.

''To protect the long-term health of our businesses, our team and our customers, we need to be able to act quickly and put measures in place until the travel industry has had time to recover,'' he said.

"It's an unprecedented time and we are working with our team across the country
on a future-focused plan. This is a short-term step and we are confident about the
future when the recovery comes."

The Travel Agents Association of NZ says today's message from Foreign Minister Winston Peters warning Kiwis not to travel overseas could do damage to the already struggling industry.

Association chief executive Andrew Olsen says travel agents are working so hard to keep their doors open were worried the message could be misinterpreted.

Those in the trade and frequent travellers would understand an MFAT travel advisory means international travel but those who travel once in a while and have made a booking or will be looking to a trip in NZ would have been put off by the message from the minister,'' he said.

''In uncertain times, messages can be easily mangled and rumour spreads quickly. Obviously the public is highly receptive to media and all we'd like the minister to simply say is domestic travel is okay to undertake at this time.''