p4-5 News Dec18 16/12/09 22:56 Page 5
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BA strike threatens to
Bales refutes
wipe out operators
‘distress’ sale
BALES WORLDWIDE managing director Mandy
Nickerson has insisted the company was not sold
Chris Gray.
by BA then it could be curtains for some to Virgin Holidays as “distressed stock” and can
A PROLONGED strike by British Airways cabin operators,” he said. now look forward to significant growth.
crew would be as bad for specialist tour “They will be faced with paying refunds to Nickerson said she had been talking to Virgin
operators as last year’s XL Leisure Group customers just when they don’t have any money about a takeover for nearly a year before the
collapse was for mainstream tourism, the airline coming in; they will have to wait for their own deal was concluded on Monday.
was warned this week. refund from BA; and they may not get anything “I feel that Virgin is the strongest brand in the
And a 12-day stoppage over Christmas could back from overseas suppliers,” Bowen added. travel industry and it’s a great opportunity to
push some operators out of business as they face Aito director Noel Josephides said the strike grow our business with their support,” she said.
having to pay refunds to customers but get would be a “huge blow” for operators who relied “As an independent, we have never been able
nothing back from suppliers. on Christmas and summer to make a profit. to reach a wider audience.”
Small specialist operators selling packages on “For many small operators it would be far worse Nickerson, whose father George Bales set up
routes where there is little alternative capacity than XL because they rely on scheduled flights. the operator in 1947, said it would be “business
such as central and south America were thought “But it’s not just BA. The bigger problem is how as usual” and that being part of the Virgin Group
to be particularly at risk as they were likely to much you will get back from your suppliers if you would help to raise awareness of the Bales brand.
struggle to find alternative flights. can’t get people out there,” he said. “Virgin approached us about 11 months ago
Operators and agents were left in limbo this Operators were also facing rapidly rising fares and started a dialogue,” she said. “Although it’s
week after the Unite union voted for a 12-day on alternative carriers. Josephides described the been a very tough year, we’re not distressed
strike, to start on Tuesday. price hikes as “horrendous” and said they meant stock. It de-risks my own involvement and I get
BA attempted to stop it by asking for a High operators would be carrying customers for free some money while still running the business.”
Court injunction, claiming the ballot was illegal. unless customers were prepared to pay more. The company, which is based in Dorking and
Operators fear a lengthy strike could push Aito chairman Derek Moore said he was employs 39 people, specialises in long-haul and
some under because they would have to refund hopeful that BA would give operators full refunds tailor-made holidays.
customers whose holidays they could not pro- for all ticket types as the carrier had been “The feedback I’ve had from people who sup-
vide, but they would be unlikely to get a refund working more closely with the trade recently. port the business has been very positive and any
from BA until January and may get nothing at all “In the past they saw us as second-class citizens negative comments have come from those who
from hotels that they had paid up front. compared with the premium traffic up front, but don’t work with us anyway,” added Nickerson.
Alan Bowen, the Association of Atol Companies’ now they want to work with us more,” he said. She said forward booking were positive, with
legal adviser, said BA should consider a special Egypt and South America performing well.
arrangement to help operators. ■ What do you think about the festive strike? Virgin Holidays’ managing director, Amanda
“If there is not some allowance put in place Email your views to ttgletters@ttglive.com Wills, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Mandy
Nickerson and the Bales Worldwide team into the
TMCs attack union’s ‘cynical strike’
Virgin Holidays family. As a long-established
group and tailor-made specialist, known, like us,
as a customer champion, we’re pleased to offer
BRITISH AIRWAYS cabin crew told TTG their vote can work for a company for 14 years, and yet I this new proposition to the same high standards
for strike action over Christmas “broke their am earning less now than I was five years ago.” as the rest of our portfolio.”
hearts” but was necessary to protect their future. But business travel bosses unanimously
But their stance was slammed by business backed BA chief executive Willie Walsh (pictured).
travel agencies, who provide the premium Anthony Rissbrook, managing director of
passengers on which BA has Co-operative Travel Management,
Cosmos appoints
relied for years. said Walsh was trying to safe-
One crew member who was at guard the long-term future of the McDonough
the mass meeting at Sandown airline and its staff and the strike
Racecourse in Surreey when the vote was a “cynical” attempt to COSMOS Holidays has appointed Damian
92% vote in favour of strike hold the company to ransom. McDonough as sales director.
action was announced said: Dominic Joyce, managing di- McDonough returns to the operator from
“There is nothing that breaks my rector of Grosvenor Travel, said: Holiday Taxis, where he was head of new
heart more than us going on “Unite is being shortsighted. BA business, having previously held the position of
strike and affecting thousands, if is sinking under the weight of its national sales manager at Cosmos in 2003.
not millions, of people’s lives. generous pay and benefits and it He replaces Gordon McCreadie who has joined
“But I am fighting for my simply will not survive in its cur- Travel 2 as sales director, based in Glasgow.
future. I don’t understand how I rent form if things don’t change.” McDonough will officially start on February 1.
18.12.2009 05
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