Knowledge
base:
What does a GSA do?
When venturing into a new or developing market or cutting costs in an existing market Airlines choose a General Sales Agents (GSA) as their representative in certain regions and locations, to offer their full set of services and products without investing in their own office and team.
Therefore GSAs play a very vital role in the aviation industry. The GSA’s responsibility is to provide or to rent an office of international standards and to pay towards its maintenance, have efficient and skilled staff and pay their salaries, and also pay local and other taxes. In short, the entire operation of the airline is operated by the GSA.
Because of his understanding of the market it is the responsibility of the GSA to evolve market strategies to promote sales and to achieve targets set by the airlines. The GSA promotes sales through marketing and commercial activities either evolved by itself and also under the guidance of the airline.
The GSA has to cater to both sides with the right services: the clients of the airlines on one side and the airlines themselves on the other. A GSA will typically sell the products of more than one airline.
GSA and CSA: What is the difference?
The Cargo Sales Agent (CSA) does almost the same as a GSA, but with the sole focus on the cargo market. The CSA can also be present in different regions and locations, representing more than one airline.
The CSA in the cargo market is expected to not only sell cargo space of the airlines but also to help them sort out any problems or difficulties with the officials of the civil aviation or airport authorities using his personal influence and contacts.
To be effective, the CSA, as the GSA, has to develop such qualities as credibility, tact, friendliness, sociability, patience and tolerance. Both have to be players with a positive attitude and outlook. The product offered by the CSA is the combination of the airline, location, route and cargo space. The clients are the freight forwarders.
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