THE REVIEW THE LOWDOWN
IN BRIEF Addison Lee Into the Big Apple
A NUMBER OF airlines have defended themselves against accusations of bypassing TMCs and travel managers and instead marketing directly to business travellers.
The subject was raised during a session at the ITM Conference in which it was suggested travel programmes could be undermined. Delta Air Lines’ senior vice
president, Perry Cantarutti, said: “The intent is not to cut TMCs out. Every customer has different needs and ways of buying their travel.” EasyJet’s head of sales for Europe, Ruth Spratt, added: “We’re not trying to exclude anyone. The customer is both the person in the seat as well as the TMC and the corporate. First and foremost we listen to what the traveller wants.”
All becomes clear for Co-operative TM
The new name and branding of Co-operative Travel Manage- ment has been unveiled follow- ing its sale to Middle East-based Mawasem Travel & Tourism last year. Clarity Travel Management is the new identity of the business, which remains headquartered in Manchester. The TMC has also invested £500,000 in new technology and software.
Meanwhile, British Airways’ head
of corporate sales, Marie Hilditch, said it makes no sense for airlines to encourage direct bookings. “Data is so critical to any corporate deal that I can’t see why we would go direct to the customers,” she said. With the currently low price of oil, the airlines were also forced into a corner regarding fares that show no sign of refl ecting the drop. “Our product is always priced to
refl ect supply and demand. We all have hedging decisions that we’ve made,” argued Cantarutti.
Gray Dawes acquisition is a capital gain
Gray Dawes has acquired The Business Travel Partnership (BTP), re-establishing the Essex-based TMC’s presence in London and taking its annual turnover from £30million to over £40million. Gray Dawes this year marks 88 years in travel and serves a wide client base, with particular strengths in the fi nance, distribu- tion, mining and telecoms sectors.
Hotel bookings made
my mobile phone have risen 120 per cent year- on-year according to
Hotels.com
Minicab company Addison Lee is launching in New York City, giving its customers access to over 4,000 vehicles in the New York and Tri State area. The company says the move follows continued growth in London and demand from existing clients who also operate in the New York area. It will offer the same fixed priced standard as it does in the UK and passengers will be able to choose from various car options, including executive and hybrid vehicles.
MeetingRooms.com Booking tool now live
A new online search and booking portal for meeting rooms is now live, featuring venues across 42 countries. Following a beta testing phase, MeetingRooms. com is now fully operational, offering both on-demand bookings and a managed service for more complicated require-
ments. The website allows users to search for, compare and book an appropriate meeting space, “quickly and with confidence”.
Electric Car Hire Now in business
The UK’s first electric-only car hire company has begun operating in London and the South East, with rental costs from £59 per day. Electric Car Hire operates a fleet of zero-emissions, fully electric BMW i3s for daily (£59) or weekly hire (£235), that can be delivered to the customer’s door the same day if ordered by 4pm.
Roomex Speedy booking
Corporate hotel booking service, Roomex, has implemented an upgrade that promises one-minute bookings. Its 300 global clients include Central Bank of Ireland, Musgrave Group, Sisk Group and Laya Healthcare. It claims average cost savings for clients of 21 per cent in the last 12 months.
54 THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE
MIKEY FLETCH
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