NEWS ROUND-UP
COMMENT: “It would be extremely damaging to UK aviation and the UK travel industry if the UK voted to leave [the EU].” Andrew Swaffield, page 32
IN THE PICTURE: Carpool cool
The organisers of the Travel Brit Awards launched the countdown to this year’s 10th anniversary event by challenging Travel Weekly editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley to take part in a ‘carpool karaoke’. Agents attending the event at Warner Leisure Hotels’ Bodelwyddan Castle, Denbighshire, on July 10 will have the chance to show off their own singing and lip-synching skills during fun educational sessions. The Travel Brits are organised by members of Abta’s UK tourism and leisure group, including Bourne Leisure, Great Rail Journeys, Hoseasons, Shearings, SuperBreak, VisitEngland and Abta. To check out SuperBreak national sales manager Graham Balmforth challenging Lucy (pictured), head to
travelweekly.co.uk/media
Delta creates six-strong agent sales team in UK
Ian Taylor
ian.taylor@travelweekly.co.uk
Delta Air Lines is creating a UK sales team to boost business through the trade, transferring sales people from elsewhere in Europe and taking on recruits.
The carrier has previously relied on sales personnel of partner airline Virgin Atlantic to represent it to agents. Delta will base four agency sales
representatives in London, one in the north and one in Edinburgh. The carrier already flies from Manchester and will launch daily services from Edinburgh to New York in May. Four of the sales team are in place and two more are in the process of being recruited. Senior vice-president for Europe
Nat Pieper said: “We decided to put additional sales resources into the UK. We didn’t have a direct presence, so it’s a step change. Virgin does well at the point of sale, but Delta does less than it should. “We’re redeploying commercial staff from Europe to visit agencies.
NEWS IN BRIEF
IAG acclaims ‘good year’ as it posts €1.8bn pre-tax profit
International Airlines Group’s annual pre-tax profits rocketed by 64% to €1.8 billion in 2015. Chief executive Willie Walsh said: “The benefits from lower fuel prices have been partially offset by the stronger US dollar.”
GIP sells London City airport for £2.3 billion
London City airport was bought last week for £2.3 billion by a group of Canadian investors and Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund. It was sold by Global Infrastructure Partners, which had bought the terminal for £750 million in 2006.
DELTA: Basing sales staff in London, the north and Edinburgh
“People didn’t know Delta, but once we get them on our planes they come back”
We’ve confirmed four posts – full- time Delta representatives going out to agents – and have a post to fill up north and one in Edinburgh.” Pieper added: “Heathrow, where
we’ve become a viable alternative to BA, is the biggest opportunity we have. We’ll do everything we can to enhance the joint venture
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travelweekly.co.uk 3 March 2016
with Virgin Atlantic, but we also want to grow Delta’s presence in London. People didn’t really know Delta, but once we get them on our planes they come back.” The carrier will launch daily morning flights from Edinburgh to New York JFK on May 27. The service offers connections on to Florida and the US West Coast. Delta will also commence flights
from Heathrow to Salt Lake City on April 24 having moved the start of
the service forward. › Virgin Atlantic fam trip competition, page 27
Discerning Collection buys failed firm Elixir Holidays
The Discerning Collection has bought failed Turkey specialist Elixir Holidays. The operator has taken on 309 forward bookings, some assets, its database, intellectual property rights, trading and domain names.
Hurtigruten to leave Clia to push ‘adventure’ positioning
Hurtigruten said it would not renew its membership of cruise body Clia. The cruise line said it had “ambitions to be seen more as an adventure travel business than a mainstream cruise line”.
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