NEWS — HOT STORIES 4
Ryanair looks to travel trade to recruit new head of corporate travel and groups
Ryanair joined Travelport systems Galileo and
Lesley Kane is leaving Ryanair after 18 years
Worldspan in April and is set to announce a deal with another GDS next month. The carrier was poised to unveil a new corporate
travel product as Travel Weekly went to press. This will include flexible fares, premium seating and fast-track airport access. Following a story on Travel Weekly’s daily Business:am alert last week, Kane described the level of interest in her role as “phenomenal”. She told Travel Weekly: “It’s amazing the amount
of interest your story created.” The carrier is also seeking a new head of sales and marketing. Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary was in
Ian Taylor
Ryanair is seeking a recruit from the travel trade to be head of corporate travel and groups to replace Lesley Kane, who will leave in September. Kane has been a key figure in Ryanair’s move
from selling solely direct to working with GDSs, travel management companies (TMCs) and tour operators selling group trips. She announced her departure last week, having worked at Ryanair for 18 years but in the current role only since January. Her replacement will be responsible for managing and developing Ryanair’s relations with GDSs and working with TMCs.
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5
BA allows consumers to hold seats for a fee Ian Taylor
Consumers booking direct with British Airways can now hold seats for up to 72 hours for a deposit of £5 or £10. BA introduced the service on
ba.com last week. Agents are confident they will not lose out. Advantage Travel Partnership commercial head John Sullivan said: “It’s a benefit, but if you use an agent they get that benefit anyway. It’s fairly restrictive. Consumers can only do it within 21 days of departure. That is quite a limited window.” Business travel agent Murray
Harrold, a homeworker with Eton Travel, said: “This is a brilliant idea. It’s a positive benefit that you can pay for, not something you have to pay for that used to be free.” Harrold added: “It’s about time. We [agents]
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travelweekly.co.uk — 28 August 2014
have always held seats. In business travel you have to because clients need approval before they book. I don’t think people will stop using agents [as a consequence]. Our job is to listen to what the person wants and advise them which fare suits them best.” A BA spokesman said it was too soon to gauge consumers’ reaction, but confirmed a similar scheme was introduced at sister carrier Iberia ahead of BA. Consumers can pay a £5 deposit to hold a short-haul seat or £10 for long- haul up to 21 days before departure. They lose the money if they subsequently decide not to book. The
cash is refunded if they do. Only one person’s name is required to hold seats. BA chief commercial officer Drew Crawley
said: “We’re confident this will prove very popular.” ❯ Letters, page 25
Cyprus last week to meet government representatives to discuss a possible takeover of Cyprus Airways. The Irish carrier was among companies to submit
“It’s amazing the amount of interest your story created”
expressions of interest in the troubled Cypriot airline last month.
O’Leary confirmed: “We’re engaged in the process and hope something will come of it.” He said Ryanair proposed Cypriot Airways retain
its brand and operate under a separate air operator’s certificate to Ryanair’s. ❯ Ryanair departure, back page
MORE HOT STORIES
“I don’t
think people will stop
using agents (as a result)”
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