Youtravel.com strengthens its operations in UK
Lee Hayhurst
lee.hayhurst@travelweekly.co.uk
Trade-only bed bank
Youtravel.com has promoted Matthew Carpenter to head its UK office, as it prepares to expand its product range.
Carpenter was previously head
of XML and account management, and his promotion to head of distribution coincides with several other appointments to the firm’s London team. Maura Ryan has joined as
operations manager, while Leila Costigan will lead a newly created marketing team.
Youtravel.com said it offered its
trade partners more than 22,000 rooms on an exclusive basis in the Canary Islands, Spain, Balearic Islands, Algarve, Greece, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt and Italy. German parent FTI Group has
“We aim to grow the mutual business of each and every one of our partners”
added six hotels to its Labranda Hotels chain, including the Labranda Bodrum Princess in Turkey, formerly a Tui Sensimar property, for which it has signed a 10-year rental agreement. The other new properties are the Labranda Bluebay Resort, Labranda Miraluna Village and Labranda Kiotari Bay on Rhodes; the Labranda Mares Marmaris, in Turkey; and the Labranda Stella Canaries, on Fuerteventura, which will offer 2,000 rooms when it opens in 2017.
Youtravel.com said it has just finished its financial year, and had recorded its best-ever results,
LABRANDA BODRUM PRINCESS: Previously a Tui Sensimar
“despite one of the worst market conditions in recent years”. Chief commercial officer Ranj
Kundi said: “Next year, will see an even greater investment into our already tremendous exclusive content offering, raising this to levels that cannot be matched elsewhere. “We aim to grow the mutual business of each and every one of our partners by offering them a product where price and availability cannot be beaten.”
Youtravel.com plans to operate
a series of roadshows next year to build product awareness and build agent relations.
Flybe ends franchise deal with Loganair
A Loganair franchise deal with Flybe to provide services across Scotland is to end after the two airlines failed to agree terms on a new contract. The Scottish airline operates on routes between the Scottish mainland and islands, including the Western and Northern isles. Loganair, which has operated under franchise
arrangements with other airlines for 24 years, is to operate in “its own right” from September 1, 2017. Flybe said its decision followed “a failure to
agree future operational standards and commercial arrangements”. Executive chairman Simon Laffin said: “Scotland is
very important to Flybe, and we want to ensure that we serve our customers there to the highest standards, while delivering a return to our shareholders. “We shall announce our plans on continuing to
serve Scotland in due course. In the meantime, our customers can travel and book tickets exactly as before, while any new arrangements will be put in place from September 2017 onwards.”
Flybe will unveil its plans for Scotland in ‘due course’
BA to offer more US destinations following Alaska Air codeshare
British Airways has further cemented ties with frequent- flyer scheme partner Alaska Air to add a range of destinations across the West Coast of the US and Hawaii. Through-tickets for travel can
be booked with BA via selected US gateways. The Alaskan carrier serves
more than 110 cities with an average of 970 daily flights across the US, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico and soon Cuba. BA executive chairman Alex
Cruz said: “British Airways and Alaska have been frequent- flyer programme partners for more than 15 years, but we are delighted to forge close ties and extend this partnership further. “The codeshare will make
onward connections to Alaska’s vast network of destinations seamless, from the booking process through to flying, and will open up the picturesque beaches of Hawaii, Salt Lake City’s ski slopes and the tech hub of Santa Ana. “It is also fantastic news for business travellers, opening up US cities that have previously been more difficult to access from the UK.” Meanwhile, a proposed merger
between Air Alaska and Virgin America has taken a step closer. Sir Richard Branson, who owns 30% of San Francisco-based Virgin America, is in line for a reported £630 million windfall. A settlement with aviation
regulator the US department of justice was said to be nearing completion and could be finalised this month, according to reports. In April, Air Alaska agreed
to pay £2.1 billion for Virgin America, but concerns were raised about the impact on competition.
24 November 2016
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