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difficult to go back to square one.” Tanzer added: “It’s hard to see the parliament doing a U-turn. There is such a strong consumer interest in the legislation. My personal view is that PTD will maintain its progress, but we should see something early next year. It’s consumer-friendly legislation. I don’t see why the legislation should not move ahead. “We continue to work with the UK
representative to the Council of Ministers since we don’t have direct access, and we work with our German counterparts and through the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (Ectaa).” Abta head of public affairs Stephen
D’Alfonso said: “We are likely to see a high degree of continuity in many EU policy areas, including the revision of PTD.” D’Alfonso, who leads Abta’s lobbying
effort in Brussels and Westminster, said: “The established political groupings still make up three-quarters of the seats in the European Parliament. “Member states are continuing to scrutinise the draft PTD. Parliament will resume its work in the autumn. But before then, MEPs have to form political groups and bargain over positions on various committees.” He said: “Many of the UK MEPs with whom Abta has worked closely will return to Brussels, including many who have shown interest in the industry. With this degree of continuity, Abta is strongly placed to represent the voice of members in Brussels.” D’Alfonso added: “The big question is to what extent the populist and Eurosceptic parties will influence the legislative programme in Brussels. They are very diverse. Each holds vastly different values and objectives, with little in common beyond Euroscepticism. In the past they have proved unwilling to work together. He pointed out: “In the case of Ukip and the Front National in France, the European elections are treated as a stepping stone to domestic electoral gain rather than an opportunity to engage in the Brussels process. “The influence of the Eurosceptic parties will depend on whether they choose to engage at all and, if so, how.”
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travelweeklybusiness
MONARCHWARNSOFOVERCAPACITY AS IT HOLDS TALKS FOR NEWAIRCRAFTORDER
Ian Taylor
The new head of Monarch Airlines has echoed company chairman Iain Rawlinson in warning of “too many aircraft, chasing too few customers”. Monarch Airlines managing director
Andrew Swaffield said: “It is a soft market with lots of capacity. There are too many aircraft chasing too few customers in Europe. It is a very commoditised market.” But he insisted: “Monarch is holding
its own. We are performing well in a poor market. We’re maintaining our share and, in many cases, growing.” Swaffield joined Monarch in April after almost eight years as head of the British Airways/IAG loyalty scheme Avios. His comments echo those of Monarch chairman Rawlinson in February, when he told an Institute of Travel and Tourism dinner: “We have a weak market…aviation is suffering weak yields and overcapacity and is fiercely competitive…we are the lowest-margin region in the world.” Monarch is still in talks to buy new
CARRIER FIRST TO EARNWORLDHOST SERVICE BADGE
Monarch Airlines has become the first carrier to be awarded WorldHost Recognised Business status after more than half its staff completed the customer- service programme used to train the London 2012 Games Makers volunteers. Andrew Swaffield, Monarch Airlines’ new managing director, announced the award, saying: “We’re the first airline to get this badge of honour.”
Almost 1,700 of Monarch’s 3,000 staff
have completed the one-day training since the programme’s launch last October, including cabin crew and pilots. Swaffield said: “The company that
trained the 2012 Games Makers has worked through training our front-of-house staff and will now work through everyone else.” He added: “Our vision is to become the most customer-focused airline.” The WorldHost-trained staff include a
Cabin crew and pilots are among 1,700
Monarch staff trained
Andrew Swaffield: ‘Monarch is performing well in poor market’
aircraft, but Swaffield declined to confirm how many. Rawlinson revealed last October that the carrier was negotiating to buy up to 60 aircraft and had to make a choice between Boeing, Airbus or Bombardier. Swaffield said: “The discussions are ongoing. It’s an important decision and we’re taking great care. We are talking with Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier but we are not fixed on a number [of aircraft].” He said an announcement is likely this summer. ❯ Letters, page 25
new team of Monarch Airport Customer Experience (Ace) Hosts who will be on hand at airport check-in and baggage reclaim to answer queries and offer help. Swaffield said: “One of the things customers tell us is that they find the process at the airport stressful and want more interaction. “We’ve put Ace hosts in uniform to
answer questions and to help. They are all trained by WorldHost. It’s a new team of 40-45 at Gatwick, Manchester, Luton and Birmingham and bases overseas, including Palma, Tenerife and Lanzarote.”
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