Counter-merger feeling is ‘strong’
SEVERAL COMPANIES have contacted Page & Moy’s chief executive after he revealed plans to gather support against the proposed Thomas Cook/ The Co-operative Travel merger. William Burton said last week he would talk to other major independent tour operators to discuss what they could do about what he called a “deeply anti-competitive move”. He said he had been contacted by “lots of
people” since taking his stance against the merger, which would create the biggest high street agency chain in the UK. “Cook will be surprised. There was strong feeling
from a lot of us after the announcement,” he said. Burton said he was now waiting to see how
Cook responded to the concerns of independent tour operators before taking further steps. Over the past three years, Page & Moy has
moved into selling via the trade through its Page & Moy, Just You and Travelsphere brands, with most of its sales coming through Co-op shops. One of the main reasons for the merger is
increasing in-house sales of Cook product. Cook said it hoped to have the merger approved by the European Commission by December 1.
New vote could put an end to BA strikes
BRITISH AIRWAYS cabin crew are to vote on a new deal which could settle its long-running industrial dispute with the airline. A spokeswoman for the Unite union, which is
representing cabin crew, said: “There will be a consultative ballot on the offer and we are working to get it underway as soon as possible.” The dispute has resulted in 22 days of strike
action this year, and the rejection of BA’s last offer in July has led to fears of more strikes – possibly over the Christmas holidays. However, Unite’s cabin crew branch Bassa said in an email that BA had made enough changes to its proposals to make another ballot worthwhile.
04 22.10.2010
ON THE BALL: The Barbados Tourism Authority and The Crane resort recently treated six agents to a ttgluxuryExperience on the island. The group went on sunset cruises, had dinner at Zagat-rated restaurants and managed to bump into former Manchester United player Dwight Yorke and West Indies cricketing legend Sir Garfield Sobers.
news
22.10.2010
Spanish hotels will move against Cook
Sophie Griffiths and Rob Gill. SPAIN’S LEADING hotel association has launched legal action against Thomas Cook over the operator’s unilateral cuts in payments to hoteliers.
The Spanish Confederation of Hotels
and Tourism (CEHAT) – which has called Cook’s 5% reduction of summer payments to hoteliers “illegal” – decided to take the action after meeting the presidents of the regions most affected by Cook’s decision. These included Benidorm, Costa del Sol, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Las Palmas, Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza. The confederation said in a statement: “From the outset we have expressed strong opposition to this requirement, since it unilaterally breaks contract terms and represents a dangerous precedent for the Spanish hotel industry. “We will provide legal advice for all the
affected hoteliers with the aim of recovering the owed and unpaid amounts.” CEHAT said it had filed a complaint “for illegal
practices carried out by the operator” with the Spanish and European competition authorities. Cook sparked anger in Septem- ber when it confirmed it was impos- ing a 5% reduction of summer payments on hotels worldwide for all
unpaid invoices for August and September. It said it had been forced to implement the discounts to cope with losses suffered due to the volcanic ash cloud in spring 2010, which has cost the company an estimated £82 million. The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association
promised a “strong collective stand” against the action, while the Cancun Hotel Association sent a letter to Cook chief executive Manny Fontenla- Novoa telling him to drop the “unauthorised deductions” or face legal action. CHTA said its members were still considering their legal position, but it was keen to keep up the pressure on Cook for its “unacceptable action”. Cook declined to comment on CEHAT’s legal
move.
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