I heard that Liberty Travel is being bought out is this TRUE???

I just heard it here at the office they say that some company from China is buying Liberty Travel, I am not sure if this is correct, if there are any Liberty Travel People here please answer.

Yes this is true, but not china, an australian company is buying them to have a better prescence in the us

www.reuters.com/article/consumerproducts-SP/idUSSYD15584320071111

MELBOURNE, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Australian travel firm Flight Centre Ltd (FLT.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday it has agreed to buy U.S. travel retailer Liberty Travel for $135 million in a deal that will create the United States' 10th largest travel group.

Flight Centre plans to raise A$100 million ($91 million) in an institutional share placement to part fund the acquisition, the company said in a statement.

The placement to be launched on Monday will be led by ABN AMRO Morgans.

Flight Centre said the combined business would create the second-largest chain of travel agencies in the United States, with the addition of 193 stores along the East Coast, in Florida and Chicago.

Flight Centre Managing Director Graham Turner said the firm would gain access to an affluent client base and niche products through Liberty.

"The acquisition ... fast-tracks the business's evolution in this key market, as it would have taken years of organic growth and major financial investment to achieve Liverty Travel's results, size and market penetration," Turner said.

BNT do you work for them too? because my cousin says that they are going to be relocating her over this buy out...

No, I do not work for liberty..will this be a good move for her? or no

Well she is upset over the move, her husband does not want to relocate, but that is life... she makes more money so I am not sure what they are going to do.

She thinks they are gonna role top heads once the buy out is final... they are saying it was not a take over to look nice I guess. They say Liberty was hurting for a while it was that or go out of business, she is no doubt worried and worked there for a long time too.

I am sure she could do something else though with her education level and travel experience she could even open her own store. I already talked to her about YTB of course LOL...

But the Brick and Mortar types are just not feeling the work from home thing. She has gotten offers from quite a few Vendors as well so trust me she will do just fine.

That was my thinking, with that much experience I'm sure you can fill plenty of offers from vendors...where is she located if I may ask...

Here's a better article

www.forbes.com/prnewswire/feeds/prnewswire/2007/11/11/prnewswire200711111912PR_NEWS_USPR_____TO347.html

Arlenie in Old Bridge, New Jersey said: I just heard it here at the office they say that some company from China is buying Liberty Travel, I am not sure if this is correct, if there are any Liberty Travel People here please answer.

yes it is true

&lta href="http://www.hometravelagency.com/tips3.html.">Hyperlink Code</a>

here is another place for more info regarding training and your IATA cards.

I've used Liberty for at least 25 years. What will change now that its been taken over? Will it still be home friendly? The offices are bright and cheery and my agent is super. She is so much at home at her job and does a really wonderful job each time for me and many, many others. I like that each desk is fixed so nice with little pictures of family around, so interesting and warm. I hope it doesn't become a cold place after the change. I realize that many agents cannot support their family on their salaries and that is not fair. They do one hell of a great job 5 days each week, have great sales for the company and really should be compensated for their diligent work, always with a smile on their face.

This is exciting news for everyone, starting with clients, but also Flight Centre or Liberty Travel staff. It's a very smart move since Liberty has great agents but needed a boost to keep the brick and mortar model successful, which Flight Centre is bringing along with a very young, dynamic, fun, open, corporate culture.

Mary,dont you feel the world is changing and lets face it,how long could Liberty Travel have gone without a massive infusion of capital,which came in from Australia. Lets wake up folks. God Bless.

Just received word that my sister-in law in New York that works for Liberty/Flight Centre was laid off. She had worked for Liberty for over 28 years, when Flight took over she was a manager and was demoted back down to sales with a big pay cut. She thought she had time to raise her sales number back to when she was a salesperson previously. She just got back from a 5 day vacation and was told since her sales in her office was the lowest they let her go while on vacation. Boy was that a big blow. She had only since Sept. to get the numbers up. She lost over 250 hours of sick leave, that she will not get anything for. They told her in Oct that she had to take vacation time cause she had too much and it was a liability. She had 28 years and they want to get rid of the oldest employees in my opinion. We Americans are suckers, we let foreign companies come into our country and buy up our businesses and fire all the oldest and loyal employees. I wish our Government was not such a patsy and would stand up for it's people. I think she should fight them. She did everything that they wanted her to do and still she was fired. I guess that I am just pissed off, that they would do this to someone, and that someone is family. It would not be so bad if she had not spent her last 28+ years for this company.

This is sounding very familiar and appears to be a pattern in this. Anyone else in this situation? Please reply

Julie said: This is sounding very familiar and appears to be a pattern in this. Anyone else in this situation? Please reply

It is indeed awful that a foreign company comes to the U.S. buys up a company and then let people go, who really need their jobs. I do not ever intend to use this company again. They are money hungry people so it seems to me. If I worked there I wouldn't book a single trip for anyone, I would tell them to go elsewhere because come January or February all workers will be let go, this I am sure of. Some workers on Staten Island have been laid off, (nice term) with 8 weeks pay and then unemployment so for those who have already been let go, feel Lucky because when the rest of the workers are let go they will get nothing and will be stuck with some australian uniforms probably made in a foreign country. I am posting this article in every forum and county that I can, just to let people know what is really going on here.

at least they received severance. How many people working for Liberty that they laid off knowing this was coming near term for no reason?

My comment to Mary in New York and everyone else that is in the situation. Everyone needs to stand up for their rights. My good friend was going on a special Fam to Hawaii for 11 days. Just days before same thing happened they laid off/fired her with no severance and no reason. She was a great employee their and had no problems or write ups. They never gave her severance and they saved a lot of money to do this right before she left. I feel everyone in this situation needs to write their story and take this to the next level.
This appears to be a pattern going on here.

Liberty Travel was taken over by a greedy corporation that 11 months ago promised them they would "never, ever, ever close a store" They closed stores and fired people who had been with the company for many, many years after making everyone take vacation time so they were not a "liability". Times are hard in the US, being greedy isn't going to endear you to the American public. You take the hits, just like you take the huge profits when times are good. They messed up big time and opened the door for other big agencies to steal their clients. Shame on you, Liberty Travel

Talk about lawsuit Did anyone attend the Global Ball? Also how about if anyone got let go just before closings with no severance?

If someone just got let go before the closings without severance is just out of luck. Not even District Managers knew of the cuts.

But they can probably collect unemployment, that is if they were let go without reason.

These things do not come overnight. I am sure that the executives new this was coming for at least a 2 or 3 weeks before it happened.

The top level execs knew...but DSMs didn't. DSMs get paid based on their store's performance.

I find this thread really funny. Every company has to make decisions to cut its losses, grow it's profits. It's called business.
Are you people living under a rock? There are hundreds of retail stores closing their doors every day. Gap/Circuit City/Home Depot/Foot Locker/Wilson's the list goes on.
Times are tough and these things happen. It's a shame that people lose their jobs, but frivolous lawsuits are exactly why most companies go bust or move overseas, bitter people trying to make a quick buck.
Wake up people and p.s. You should really learn how to spell.

Perhaps certain people have worked for "minimum wage" jobs like Circuit City and so forth, however the suggestion that this lawsuit is "frivolous" is ridiculous. Just as you have your opinion, I have mine. Had you worked for this company and for a great period of time, you'd understand the misfortune of having to do whatever it takes to make a sale and keep your job. Which is why so many of us spent numerous hours beyond alloted time, to only get slammed with half time overtime pay. I'm curious as to how many companies pay "half time" for overtime. SO in the wake of these job losses, it's long overdue in my eyes that we deserve compensation. I'm sure this threat has been considered by Flight Center, as it's ironic in Septemeber, they opted to begin paying time and a half for overtime. Any demise that comes from this is the fault of poor management and bad business decisions. Not the underpaid employee.

As far as I know it has nothing to do with age, many were younger also. Travel is not making enough money right now. Flight Centre is incredible greedy. If your layoff was not based on numbers, then your manager wanted a reason to get rid of you. You were either difficult, out spoken or tardy. Not right, I know but it is the truth. If you really were all that, they would have kept you. They are too greedy to lose a nickel.

Those who were consolidated to other offices will have a few months before they too will be hit. Also, the managers will be next. They were not required to sell before, now they are. They have agents lined up to take their jobs.

All agents that were let go were offered severance, in this round.

I find this thread interesting and disturbing. Have you not been watching the news or reading a newspaper? The economy is terrible! Why would Liberty Travel not be affected? I have seen many of my co-workers lose their jobs and it's very sad. I can only hope that my hard work keeps me employed at this changing company. Here's the deal:
1) The new owners decided to eliminate the office supervisor position. We lost a lot of good people. Would they have made great agents? Not necessarily. I can only comment on my OS's experience but there would be no way I would add her as an agent. Good with numbers, bad with people. That would have been a temporary band aid leading to a future firing.
2) One of the threads comments on agent's pay being lowered to $30,000. It has always been a base of $30,000 with the opportunity to earn so much more. Over the years, the previous owners allowed agents who had a proven record to advance on their pay knowing that their commissions would more than cover it. Under the new ownership, there's no advance. You work for your commission and get it monthly. What more can you ask for? We're supposed to be superior sales people. The problem is that a lot of those agents drawing $80,000-$100,000 were no longer "earning" it. My draw was lowered but I'm still earning more than I did last year. Listen, is my working environment different? Yes. Was it a lot easier before Flight Center? Yes. But at the end of the day I have a great team who still believes in Simply Exceptional service and as long as we continue to assist our clients the best way we can then we'll continue to prosper.
3) If every person who got laid off or fired filed suit, our courts would have little time for really important matters. Funny how while you were employed by this "horrible" company, you thought little of the bad over time pay. Now it's time to find fault and make them pay.

I hope all of you find a better place that truly makes you happy.

Agents are comissioned salespeople and NJ Labor laws have different rules for these type of positions. The change to the compensation making us hourly employees protects us from being taken advantage of.
I get that people are afraid of change. If you are making $ for the company, it means you are making $ for yourself, isn't that what it's all about? This is a tough business, you have to hustle out there. If you are complacent, then you will remain stagnant, which isn't good for business!!
I find that the agents who want to make $ and do their best, for the most part, succeed. Those who sit back on their laurels get themselves into trouble. Maybe some of the negative comments here are from burnt out agents who got lazy!!

The change to the comission was good but how many good people did they let go that never got a chance to be able to receive it? They let so many people go yet they are spending a fortune on uniforms. Why?? Uniforms could of been put on hold and maybe more people could of kept their jobs.

In my area, there were no good agents let go, just newer hires and part time agents that weren't making their goals. It is my understanding that the stores that were closed were underperforming and incuring hugh losses for the company.
As for the corporate wardrobe, this is Flight Centre's business model, they feel it will help the image of the company. I for one applaud the corporate wardrobe, there are so many agents, managers and others who simply don't dress in a professional manner. With the corporate wardrobe, the image of the company can be uniform with no grey areas.

We have figured out that it was not just lowest numbers. The company pays less for the new hires so terminated many of the older ones.

What are you talking about? The company pays the same amount for every agent, more for new hires with training. The more $ you make the more commissions are paid, but how do you figure that they company pays less for new hires?
What about old agents that hadn't been pulling their weight for years? Or manager that overdrew every year and didn't reduce their draw?
I think that cutting the managers salary and making them earn their higher inflated salaries is good for business, maybe get rid of the cronies who sat back and collected tiehr $ without doing a thing!!!

To NJ agent:
I would not use that broad a statement - "...there were no good agents let go..."
My store was completely closed without rhyme or reason for good vs bad agents. I can't speak for anyone else, but I hadn't been in the hole in 2 years, received a commission check every month and hit more than one of the sales tiers. I also had a very loyal customer base and a high repeat and referral rate to go along with it. My store overall had a high repeat rate and a great team that worked together very well.
I wish I (and those in my store) had the chance at the new commission structure because we all would have made more money with it.
The store that we "consolidated" with (our files went there, none of us) had a new hire and over the years we had picked up a lot of their clients. We often received calls from clients who received poor or no customer service there. Many were not thrilled that that was where their file was going.
We may not have made a ton of money, but were O.K.
So don't tell me it was about agents who didn't do their job well. I know the numbers were the "reason", but there was a lot of politics involved and who stood up for who. There were no offers for a transfer, no one looked at anyone's indvidual numbers. If they had some of us would be working right now.

Usedtobe, if you read my notes, I didn't make a broad statement about your area, not sure which store you were in, but I based my comments on my area, where there were no stores closed. If you feel you were discriminated against, maybe you should call Cathy Peleaz or Billy and ask to speak to them. I don't know why/how the choices of relocating agents were made, you could e mail them or call them to have a meeting for the reasons.

Denise said: The change to the comission was good but how many good people did they let go that never got a chance to be able to receive it? They let so many people go yet they are spending a fortune on uniforms. Why?? Uniforms could of been put on hold and maybe more people could of kept their jobs.

I TOTALLY AGREE!!!!!

I wish you all good luck, maybe you will find something that makes you happy. Remember, every time a door closes, another one opens!! I didn't drink the company kool aid but I do believe in being positive and trying to take every challenge and turn it around, maybe that is not in your personality.
I feel sorry that you are so bitter and angry. I'm planning to try to make my goals and be positive, because I love being a travel agent and feel that Liberty and Flight Centre are taking steps in the right direction.

No comment at this time

by the way did I say I was president's club...and still they asked me to leave, they said, that was then, and this is now...not even giving me the chance to achieve...keeping new people, who have since left..ha ha...

I guess you have inside info Brooklyn, the uniforms are a disaster. The jackets are way to small, pants are made for skinny mini's but the shirts are very nice. This, just like NGTS seems to be a bad decision by the company. Hopefully it will be all straightened out.

Brooklyn - were you Pres Club past 3 years? If so, i would definately check into the lawsuit and also ask to speak to Cathy. I've heard that other agents that were let go hadn't been Pres club for over 5 years

Hi Mary:
I don't know your story, but I am in NJ, the agents that were let go in my region were either just recent hires, or agents that weren't close to making their numbers. There are a lot of agents that were resting on their laurels, calling themselves President Club but hadn't made the goals in over 5 years!!
This is a tough business, I'm not sure where the future is going, but I do know I want to stay with my store, with Liberty to see where things go. I have been treated fairly, been here 6 years (yes, I was hired after 9/11) and have been Presidents Club for the last 3 years. There have been shifting of managers and personell here, haven't heard of anyone that was a good performer that was let go. If you were a veteran, why were you let go???? Maybe you had a bad attitude, was a negative influence in your store, or had other personal issues?

Actually NJ, I wasnt let go, they tried to keep me, offered me more money. I got my high tail out of there while there were still good agencies hiring. I am a really great agent with great numbers. Im at a much better agency making more money, happier than I have ever been. I feel like I just added years to my life, with that decision. Liberty is the Kmart or Shop Rite of travel, they didnt use to be, but thats what they are now. Cheap and crappy. I am much more respected by hoteliers now. Just got off of a wonderful Crystal Fam, only work Monday - Friday, no weekends, more holidays, more FAM days. Best decision I ever made, besides marrying my wonderful husband that is.

Hi Mary:
I am happy for you, I had heard that there were some agents in NY that went with another agency, didn't give Liberty a chance after Flight Centre purchased the company. I wish you well,hopefully there will be enough business in all economic ranges, from the 3 nights in Vegas to the Crystal Cruise, A & K taking clients as well.
But don't forget not to burn your bridges!! You never know......

Liberty laid me off Nov 6. The end of Oct. we were told to work on getting our numbers up because it had been a slow year for our office. We were also told to come up with ideas to bring business into the office (so much for marketing). The same week we were told if you have more than 10 days vacation banked, then take vacation because it was a liability for Skroo to have to pay vacation time if an agent left, so I scheduled vacation time. The next week I was laid off. I know people in a few branches and none of them are happy (team leaders included), they are nervous. It's a miserable environment to work in. The sad truth is that it is no longer Gil's Liberty Travel. It is Skroo's Flight Centre. The name was kept because the public knows the name Liberty Travel. It's Flight Center. Forget Liberty Travel and holding onto it. I hope in time things improve for the Liberty people. Most importantly, the other entity that wanted to purchase Liberty Travel was either Travelocity or Expedia (I forget which one, but they're owned by the same company anyway). Gil sold it to FC so some of his people would have a job. The other entities would have closed Liberty's branches.

yes, we probably know each other...I have to say that this web has helped me feel better as I thought I was alone in my feelings...
To the agents who said only "bad" agents were let go..not so honey...I was and still was one of the best, we had too many agents...a total of 8 before the mgr....I had cut my hours and was part time (still writing close or if not more than the new full timers) they felt they had a better potential for the future..ha ha..they left...I am not saying that you new people should not work and be happy..please do so...but you will NEVER now what us verterns did...we were before the internet...and lines out the door...I hear you're all flipping out at 5 walk ins...ha ha...we worked till 11:00pm to back up files...times were good and commissions were good, so please don't say we were not doing our job...I guess each person SHOULD have been looked at individually...but they were not...and perks were also good, things you will never see again...we had free hotels anywhere and FLEW free anywhere...we had so many free tickets that we threw them away...we couldn't fly that much in a year....so yes things were good, will they EVER be like that again...NO...sorry look around your neighborhood, I know in mine all the neighborhood stores sold out, it's now consumed with 99 cent stores when we had a german deli, itaian speicalty shop and wonderful bakery...sorry people...you are now working for 30,000 which I made 25 years ago....but hey, like I said I won't down you if you don't down us...we did our time and desevered respet, some of us deserved to either be transferred or in my case asked to increase hours...not come in one day and say goodbye after 15 years...Good Luck

Pissed Brookyn - you are living in the past. I used to be able to go to the movies for .25cent, but that was then this is now. The business has changed, the world has changed. There were a lot of agents, seems like you might have been one, who were used to making good $ with the business coming to them. With the competition from the Internet, all of us have to work harder to keep up our current numbers.
I wish you well, but you do need to realize that you were let go for a reason, the business might have past you by, you are bitter and twisted!!

After reading comments on here, I have to ask what the important question is.
If you are a travel agent and have been for years or whether you are new,what is
the most important aspect of the job? My answer is "the client". Making them happy and giving them the best vacation they can afford. Some people save for years and the job is to make sure you accomodate THEM!!!! Liberty/FC was all about the dollars and our course that is business, but they let people go that may have not been in the Presidents club, but were damn good agents! Good to the CLIENTS, personable, helpful and very experienced. That's what brings a client back. And really, if you work overtime, you should be paid for it in real $$.
I left a great company to come to Liberty because it was closer to home and the enticement of more money. What a joke! It was the worst office I have ever been in. Bad hours, petty agents and a manager that was taking advantage of the company. PLEASE!!!!So if you are still there, I bet you worry about your job everyday since it seems that "simply excellent" isn't enough LOLOLOL

Mary: I didn't call anyone a name, just noted that i thought they were bitter and their opinions were a bit twisted. I believe it was you who were using curse words, and I had been addressing the post by Brooklyn, not by you.
I really feel that there is a lot of bitter feelings out there, some people seem to have legitimate claims and should pursue them legally. I am just using this forum for rebuttal to the negative info posted. I have some issues with the company as well, did before Flight Centre purchased Liberty.
No company is perfect, but in MY OPINION (which I am entitled to) the company has a lot of work ahead of it and hopefully there will be a positive outcome.
You chose to leave, that is good for you, but you have to know that there are people still with the company that want to try to make a go of it. There is enough business there for all of us, we just have to work for the clients and their needs and I believe that if you do that, the business will be there.
As far as shutting up, this is a forum for open discussion!! So no, as long as I feel I have an opinion, I will be posting it, this is America after all

I have been an agent for 20 years, with Liberty for over 7 years, Presidents club for the last five years I feel like we are all walking on eggshells, and every day gets worse. I make every goal and yet I cannot sleep worrying what is getting thrown at us next. This week everyone's salary is being lowered. No overtime allowed, but I barely can get back to clients with quotes, and cannot stay one minute over, whether my work is done or not.I am totally sure
that what happened to "Still pissed in Brooklyn" can and will continue to happen.They have no heart. I can sympathize with what victims of "terrorism" feel,because they have us all terrified no matter what the numbers you write are. At the moment, there is nothing out there in way of decent jobs in travel and we all signed the agreement that we cannot work in any travel capacity near a Liberty office if we leave, and I do believe they would try to uphold it if you quit and tried to take your clients. All this stress does not make it easy to stay focused and positive when talking to clients. I know other agents who lost their jobs who have been looking for the last few months and the last office she spoke with said their company had a hiring freeze.
So while I am trying to stay positive and not make opinions on
Flight Center, it is very hard not to see how poorly they treat everyone in the company.
NJ agent in New Jersey, good for you to try to see the good in the
company, but even though I made a lot of money this year because I worked for it and deserved it,I am afraid that any day they will decide they don't like the way I look in their uniform and cut me for no real reason, other than they feel like it. I cannot help but worry about the way things are going downhill. You have to be blind not to see it.I used to love my job, now not so much.

Hi Lexs I am trying to be positive, but I am realistic. I don't feel threatened but my manager is pretty straight forward with us. I feel the same about trying to get to clients, and the no overtime rule is awful. Maybe I am in a bubble and don't get the feeling that the hatchet is raised over my head threating to come down on me.