p9 Conf Feb12 10/2/10 18:36 Page 9
news conference report
ttglive.com
Business Travel Show
February 9-10 ■ Earls Court
The changing face of airlines, the environment and social
GREEN TRAVEL.
media were all on the agenda at the Business Travel Show
at Earls Court this week. Dave Richardson reports
Pool eco data,
urges BCD boss
‘Hybrid model is future’
TRAVEL management companies have a vital role
to play in delivering greener travel choices to
their customers.
They are also crucial for collecting data on
SHORT-HAUL airlines will increasingly move short-haul business-class market will never carbon emissions and passing on best practice in
towards a “hybrid” model between no-frills and recover from the downturn, which led to specu- “going green”, said Chris Crowley, senior vice-
full service, say industry observers. lation that BA could drop premium class on president sales of BCD Travel.
Flybe has emerged as the best example of this Gatwick, but not Heathrow, flights. His comments came as a global survey of busi-
in the UK, retaining business lounges and Rutter said Walsh might understand the need ness travel found that concern for the environ-
pre-bookable seats as part of its Economy Plus to drop short-haul business class, but not the ment remains important, despite the need to cut
service, claimed its chief commercial officer rest of the management team. costs during the recession.
Mike Rutter. “Some legacy carriers still think they can The survey, by online system provider KDS and
He told a conference on the future of airlines: provide short-haul travel as a kind of premium the Association of Corporate Travel Executives,
“We planned a strategy to become the first and service, but they must shake that off,” he added. found that 41% of UK respondents wanted to do
most successful model of hybrid services. Speakers predicted that the “un- business with travel suppliers who had a sustain-
“Legacy carriers that take a gradual bundling” of air fares would continue, with able travel charter.
approach, like simply removing the extra charges becoming the norm for bag- Crowley – who is president elect of Acte – said
curtain separating business class, will gage, meals and other services. companies relied on TMCs to come up with data
miss out. The hybrid business model is Leisure fares are set to rise, said airline to help them reduce carbon emissions.
where consumer direction has gone.” consultant Peter Dunkin of The “Travellers now make more informed choices,
Some speakers questioned Flight Register, who worked for and it is an interesting challenge to manage the
whether British Airways would BA and then Eitihad. self-aware traveller,” he said.
abolish Club Europe, following “Business travellers used Self-booking systems such as KDS allow users
BMI’s decision to axe busi- to subsidise leisure to switch their mode of travel to reduce their
ness class on UK/Ireland as travellers, but business environmental impact, and 42% of the 317
well as European routes. travel has now decreased survey respondents had switched journeys from
This followed comments by enormously,” he said. air to rail.
BA chief executive Willie
Walsh (pictured) that the ■ Air news, p16
In brief
CUSTOMER SERVICE.
Sabre gets social with
“Say a client wants to go to China and the ■ TAM Airlines signs up to Star Alliance
agent doesn’t know much about it. The agent can Brazilian carrier TAM Airlines is to join the Star
new AgentStream tool
now go on AgentStream to look for others to Alliance network in April. It has introduced first
share that information.” class on London-Sao Paulo services, and is the only
SABRE has launched a social media site for Meanwhile, Sabre-owned online booking tool South American carrier serving the continent
agents, encouraging them to go online to GetThere is helping to cut out unnecessary with direct non-stop routes from the UK.
improve customer service by tapping into each travel, said Jason Geall, GetThere’s director for
other’s expertise. Europe, Middle East and Africa. ■ Serviced apartment firms expand
It is available to all agents and not just users of “The system can be configured to ask the rea- Serviced apartment companies are continuing to
the Sabre GDS, said Martin Cowley, senior vice- son for travel, and suggests alternatives such as expand. Clarendon has opened The Landmark
president for Europe, Middle East and Africa. booking a web conference,” he said. Canary Wharf in London, while House of Fisher
“We see this as promoting ourselves as innova- “This reduces travel demand in the short-term, will open this year in Bracknell, Berkshire and
tors,” he said. but helps build a sustainable travel model.” Farnborough, Hampshire.
12.02.2010 09
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