p5 dec19 17/12/08 21:24 Page 5
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news
In brief
Bah humbug! Recession
■ British Airways reshuffles its sales team
British Airways head of
corporate sales Richard
Tams (pictured) is taking
takes its toll on parties
over leisure sales from
January as part of a
management reshuffle.
Chris Gray.
with a karaoke night in their office.
Tams will become head of UK THE CHRISTMAS party season is in full swing However, the Christmas spirit is alive and well
and Ireland sales, replacing and many high street agents are enjoying their on the high street.
Andrew Crawley, who has been promoted to annual knees-up, but tough times have seen the Tui Travel is holding a party for 1,000 staff
sales and marketing director. Adam Daniels seasonal fun reined in elsewhere. from the south-east in London as it did last year,
moves from head of leisure sales to become Air France and
lastminute.com staff enjoyed and other events have been held in the regions.
head of revenue management. Crawley is being big parties in 2007, but this Christmas will be A spokeswoman said the events aimed to
promoted despite being charged, along with more subdued. thank all staff for their hard work since the
four other BA managers, of fixing the price of And even that bastion of fun, the Walt Disney merger with First Choice.
fuel surcharges with Virgin Atlantic. Company, has cancelled its corporate Christmas Thomas Cook is actually increasing the
parties. Last year it treated staff in its UK office amount it allocates per person to spend on
■ Ace opens registration for 2009 Dover event to a party, but this year they must organise their Christmas parties.
Registrations for next year’s Ace Cruise Conven- own. Individual offices or departments have elected
tion in Dover open on Monday afternoon. Places About 500 Air France UK and Ireland staff to do their own thing rather than have one big
are expected to go quickly, so agents are advised normally enjoy a party night in a hotel with a party as in previous years.
to register at
cruiseconvention.org as soon as show put on by colleagues – but this year “The budget has been increased, so it will be a
possible. The event will take place on June 17-19. management scrapped the event. merry Christmas at Cook,” said a spokeswoman.
A spokeswoman said the airline was being Flight Centre held a party with flights to Aus-
■ Virgin Atlantic reduces fuel surcharges “cautious” with expenditure but all staff were tralia as first prize for a fancy dress competition.
Virgin Atlantic has reduced fuel surcharges by still given a Christmas present. Although British Airways sponsored the
up to £35 per sector. The levies for shorter and Lastminute hired a venue in Covent Garden Flight Centre bash, staff will have to pay for
longer sectors have come down respectively by last year, but this year staff will have to make do celebrations themselves, as normal.
£15 and £30 in economy, £20 and £29.50 in pre-
mium economy and £20 and £35 in Upper Class.
British Airways cuts fuel levies, p9
Abta 2009 set
■ Taj Mahal hotel sets reopening date
The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, one of the
properties at the centre of Mumbai’s recent
for Barcelona
terrorist attacks that left 170 people dead, is
to reopen on December 21. THE TRAVEL Convention 2009, the annual over-
seas conference organised by Abta, will be held
■ Thomson cruise ship rescues sinking yacht in the Spanish city of Barcelona for the first time.
Thomson Destiny staged a dramatic rescue of a It is the fourth year in a row Spain has been
sinking yacht off the coast of Portugal, saving the chosen, and although this might disappoint Abta
two sailors on board. The cruise ship responded veterans who expect it move between countries,
to a distress call from the yacht, whose crew were Spain is by far the biggest financial backer of
sailing from La Palma to the Azores, after heavy such events.
weather damaged the boat beyond repair. Mark Tanzer, Abta chief executive, said: “Spain
Cruise news, p22 has come through time and again as a committed
supporter of Abta and The Travel Convention,
■ Direct Holiday Bookings signs operators and we can be sure of a first-class event.”
Home rental website Direct Holiday Bookings The event will take place on October 6-8.
has signed deals with Hoseasons and Thomson Ignacio Vasallo, director of the Spanish Tourist
to feature their properties. The company was Office, said: “The relationship between Spain and
launched in May 2008 with 10,000 properties the UK travel industry is a key priority for the
and its deals with Hoseasons and Thomson will .c
om
Spanish Tourist Office.
add 50,000 holiday homes to its listings. “We are dedicated to supporting the
iStockphoto
conference as proof of our commitment to the
ttglive.com
For the latest news, reviews and comment
Abta has picked Barcelona to host its Travel Convention UK travel industry and the importance of its role
from the travel industry, visit
ttglive.com next year, citing Spain’s commitment as a key factor in Spanish tourism.”
19.12.2008 05
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