p2 contents sept4 2/9/09 22:11 Page 2
Flight-only sales
must be included in
news
revamped directive
SEPTEMBER is the cruellest month. So said a travel
industry executive this week, adapting TS Eliot as he
surveyed autumn’s opening week.
The first two days of September saw the collapse
of an airline, a major tour operating group’s shares
suspended from the stock market and the fourth
Abta agency to fold in two weeks.
Scenes of hundreds of passengers milling
this week
around check-in desks in confusion after SkyEurope
suspended operations invoked uncomfortable
echoes of the failure of XL this time last year.
The sense of deja vu was heightened further by
the announcement from EU commissioner Meglena
Kuneva that the Package Travel Directive was to be
reviewed to bring it up to date.
The same commissioner announced the same
thing back in May last year, before the issue was
“parked” in Brussels while the commission looked at
No such thing as a bad Hairspray
other aspects of consumer protection. Ian Mounser, Superbreak’s sales director, is pictured with Brian Conley, who
There is hope the latest review will move faster, has taken the starring role in the West End show Hairspray. Superbreak said
and there is promise of an initial document this year. bookings had surge since Conley joined the cast in July, and it had passed the
But already there is concern that the terms of the £2.75 million mark in theatre-inclusive package sales since the show opened.
review have been set and the one thing not on offer
is extending the directive to cover the purchase of Agency failure. from East Midlands, while Leeds/
only a flight from an airline. ‘Direct discounts killed us’ p5 Bradford defends Ryanair’s choice
Announcing the review, Kuneva said it was Cardiff’s Millennium Travel blamed to duplicate routes from the airport
“incomprehensible” to consumers that two people operators’ direct-sell prices for
sitting on the same aircraft going to the same forcing the agency out of business Abta 2009.
hotel had different levels of consumer protection Convention preview p14
because their bookings were made in different ways. Operators. Delegates in Barcelona can look
Quite so. But unless the EU’s review looks at air- What price ‘trade-only’? p6 forward to hearing marketing
line’s flight-only sales the situation will not change. Cosmos Tourama has become a advice from Cimtig, Microsoft and
Two passenger sitting next to each other going to trade-only brand but has angered headline sponsor Specific Media
the same hotel will still have different agents by admitting that its Archers
protection simply because one decided Direct prices will still be cheaper Business travel.
to click-through, and the other booked NBTA 2009 report p28
the accommodation another way. Tui survey. Is the US business travel sector too
Kuneva says the commission has Brits to pay more in 2010 p9 protectionist in its attitude? TTG
to ask itself if holiday protection A Tui survey of consumers found joins 5,600 delegates at the NBTA’s
should become a lottery dependent that 24% said they intended to spend annual convention in San Diego
on the manner of booking. more on their holiday next year
The commission has got The Big Idea 2009.
the question right, but In-depth. Judges pick six finalists p32
unless its review takes in Social media round-table p10 The 30 entrants have been whittled
airline flight-only sales, it TTG hosted a panel of online experts, down to six, who must now pitch
will come up with the agents, suppliers and PRs to discuss their proposal in the “dragons’ den”
wrong answer. the marketing merits of blogging,
Twitter, Facebook and other tools SECTORS.
Cruise p20
Chris Gray
Air. Hotels p22
Deputy News Editor
Jet2 reveals growth plan p12 Operators p24
Jet2 hints at plans to open a ninth Business travel p28
UK base as it prepares to start flying Letters p34
02 04.09.2009
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