p32 biz Sept18 15/9/09 15:00 Page 32
Business travel
Martin Ferguson
020 7921 8011
maferguson@ttgbusiness.com
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BTC calls for
HRG sets sights on
‘delays’ law
THE BUSINESS TRAVEL Coalition (BTC) has backed a
smaller companies
move to introduce a law in the US that would allow
passengers to disembark an aircraft that has been
Martin Ferguson.
Pancaldi said it
delayed on the tarmac for at least three hours. HRG has launched a travel seemed like the right
The BTC has joined pressure group Flying Rights management service tar- time to launch Simply
in support of senators Barbara Boxer and Olympia geting small and medium- HRG, “given the current
Snow, who are lobbying Congress to put an end sized companies. climate”.
to the consequences of “nightmarish delays”. The company said But Peter Reglar,
A BTC survey found that 82% of travel Simply HRG would reach chief executive of
professionals in the US support a change to the out to businesses which independent travel
law. Any new law would state that a passenger had not previously management company
could leave the aircraft after three hours if the worked with a multiple Business Travel Direct,
captain said it was safe to do so. TMC. Bosses hope to questioned whether
BTC chairman Kevin Mitchell said: “Consumers attract new business with HRG’s expertise with
continue to be harmed and are without protec- online booking technol- large organisations
tions at the state level. As such, the only remain- ogy developed in-house. would transfer easily
ing remedy is a single passenger rights standard And UK sales director into the market for
put in place by Congress that needs to do for Matthew Pancaldi said smaller companies.
passengers what airlines have refused to do.” small and medium- Matthew Pancaldi: “Lots of enquiries from SMEs” “This move is akin
sized enterprises (SMEs) to a scheduled airline
wanted access to HRG’s “purchasing power”. trying to be a no-frills carrier,” he said. “The two
“We get a lot of enquiries from SMEs,” he said. are poles apart in how they operate, and their
“They want access to the fares and rates, but customers have different requirements and
don’t necessarily need the bespoke service expectations. SMEs have very different needs.”
demanded by larger companies.” Reglar said smaller businesses preferred to
HRG and rival multiples such as Carlson Wag- build relationships with a travel management
onlit and American Express have traditionally company’s staff, rather than phone a call centre.
focused on larger, big-spend accounts. He added that SMEs could have concerns
But the collapse in the global banking sector about feeling less important than more lucrative
and the recession have led to travel restrictions clients. “They will be reluctant to be a small fish
Canada unveils
and even bans being introduced by many blue- in a big pond, where they will feel that they are
chip companies. not as important as the larger clients,” he said.
European push
said: “OTT’s technology and expertise will help
THE CANADIAN Tourism Commission is targeting
Lufthansa CC
us to enlarge the LCC online training academy
business travel agents and meeting planners in with a broad variety of product and destination
the UK, Germany and France. training.
The European tour is the first big marketing
in online tie-up
“This will help industry suppliers and tourist
push in 10 years, according to the organisation’s boards spread their product information, to
director for meetings and incentives, Susan Frei. INDEPENDENT business travel agency enhance the knowledge of our 5,000 employees
“A lot of people don’t realise how big Canada consortium Lufthansa City Centre (LCC) has around the globe and upgrade our customer
is,” said Frei. “There has been huge investment in signed up Online Travel Training to provide service significantly.”
hotels and convention centres across the country.” online training products to its members OTT chairman Simon Beeching said: “This is a
The CTC has appointed Axis Travel Marketing worldwide. major stepping stone in expanding our business
to be its European representative. The deal means agents will be able to access internationally.”
“It will be an active marketing force in the supplier training programmes from their office An OTT Business Channel training site for
Mice market and work as an extension of each computers. Guild of Travel Management Companies
Canadian destination’s sales force,” added Frei. LCC’s managing director, Rainer Schaefer, members is due to launch this autumn.
32 18.09.2009
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