4 UPDATE


quality service Airline and tour operator lauded A


‘Among the very best’ for high


MAJOR new study has recognised Jet2.com and Jet2holidays as among the very best companies in the UK for delivering high quality customer


service.


The latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI), published by The Institute of Customer Service, has named Jet2holidays joint ninth out of more than 250 companies – making the package holiday specialist the highest ranked tour operator for customer service. Jet2.com comes 29th in the list – the highest ranked airline in the study.


No other package tour operator or airline even makes the top 50, with all the major brands and organisations featuring in the study.


Jet2holidays is given a customer satisfaction score of 84.2, above the national average of 78.1. More than 30 different considerations – such as staff professionalism, quality and efficiency, and complaint handling – are factored into the results.


Jet2.com has a customer satisfaction score of 82.6, meaning yet again it is the only airline to make the top 50. This success comes on the back of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ continued investment into customer service and delivering its family friendly formula. Examples include:


* Investing in, and growing, its UK based call centre, which has industry-leading response times. * Doubling the number of overseas representatives. * Growing its Free Resort Flight Check-In service which allows customers to securely check-in their bags at their hotel on the last day of their holiday. * Offering a free 24/7 emergency helpline 365 days a year for customers.


* Hiring more customer helpers & check-in staff at airports.


* Investing significantly in its website and Trade team meaning it offers easy, fast to book flights and holidays.


This formula has resulted in a number of accolades and award wins, such as being voted the UK’s Best Airline by TripAdvisor, receiving the prestigious ‘Recommended Provider’ status from Which? for two consecutive years, and scooping four awards at this month’s Travel Weekly Globe Awards.


Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “This major study by the Institute of Customer Service shows yet again that Jet2.com and Jet2holidays is way ahead of other tour operators and airlines when it comes to delivering customer satisfaction and trust. "We invest heavily into delivering the very best service for our customers, so it is incredibly rewarding to see this recognised. It comes on the back of a number of other awards and accolades, which can only be achieved through a tremendous amount of hard work by the brilliant team we have here at Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.”


The UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) is a national barometer of customer satisfaction, which has been run by The Institute of Customer Service since 2008 and is based on the responses of over 10,000 customers. It covers over 30 metrics of customer experience, including staff professionalism, quality and efficiency, ease of doing business, problem solving, complaint handling and attitudes towards trust and reputation.


The measures in the UKCSI reflect the priorities customers have identified as the most important attributes of customer experience, and also include measures of customer effort and Net Promoter Score (NPS).


Global lifestyle hotel brand to open at City Quays this April


AC HOTELS by Marriott, the global lifestyle brand with properties across Europe and the US, is set to open its first hotel in Northern Ireland in Belfast in April, it has confirmed.


The international company also confirmed the appointment of Lisa Steele as General Manager of the new £25million property, which is situated in the heart of Belfast Harbour’s landmark City Quays development, right on Belfast’s waterfront. The contemporary-luxe four-star AC Hotel Belfast will be the first Marriott in Northern Ireland, the first AC Hotel by Marriott on the island of Ireland, and the first purpose-built AC Hotel in the UK. It will also be the first in the group’s portfolio of 100 design-led hotels across the world to feature a destination restaurant – Jean-Christophe Novelli will open a bespoke-for-Belfast brasserie in the hotel, the first the multi-Michelin-starred and five-out-of-five AA Rosette award-winning chef will open in Ireland. With 188 guest bedrooms, the AC Hotel Belfast will be among the city’s largest hotels, and will offer the complete complement of signature AC Marriott guest


services, including gym, library, meeting facilities and AC Lounge, the now-iconic hub of every AC Hotel worldwide.


“AC Hotels by Marriott is a unique concept. The design is thoughtful and purposeful, marrying European sophistication and contemporary elegance to provide a stylish, simplified and frictionless experience which perfectly reflects the needs of today’s busy hotel guest and user,” said General Manager, Lisa Steele.


Recognised as one of the industry’s top hospitality professionals with management experience spanning a number of leading Belfast venues, Lisa returns to Northern Ireland from Edinburgh to take the helm at the flagship Belfast project.


“I’m absolutely delighted to be part of the team bringing this compelling new offering to the local market. Work is on schedule and we are on track to open in April, and the timing really couldn’t be better with Belfast and Northern Ireland as a region enjoying unprecedented and wholly-deserved global recognition as a must-visit destination. “


Sit-down meal before you board


AMERICAN Airlines has celebrated the opening of its new Flagship Lounge and Flagship First Dining facilities at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), offering customers several options to dine, relax and get ready for long journeys.


Suzanne Boda, American’s Senior Vice President – Los Angeles, joined Sean Burton, President of the Los Angeles World Airports’ Board of Commissioners to officially cut the ribbon on the more than 14,500- square-foot space.


“The opening of the Flagship Lounge and Flagship First Dining are the latest evidence of our increasingly strong position in Los Angeles,” she said. “We are setting ourselves apart from the competition by becoming the only domestic carrier to offer a sit-down dining experience at LAX.”


Steve Heapy - jet2.com and jet2holidays are way ahead of other tour operators and airlines


With the opening of Flagship First Dining, American customers can now enjoy a sit-down meal before boarding their flights — the first product of its kind at LAX. The newly renovated Flagship Lounge offers customers high-quality food and drink options


and the space to unwind while waiting for their flight. “As our West Coast gateway to the Asia-Pacific region, Los Angeles is where many of our customers begin long flights either internationally or across the US,” Suzanne Boda said. “We are proud to offer best- in-class lounge and dining options at the start of their journey.”


American’s renovations to its Flagship Lounges and its Flagship First Dining are part of a $200 million investment in the luxury travel experience. At LAX, dedicated investments include a new Admirals Club in Terminal 5, a refurbished Admirals Club in Terminal 4 and, now, the new Flagship Lounge and Dining in Terminal 4.


Since 2015, American has added service to 24 new destinations from LAX, including Sydney, Auckland, Hong Kong, Tokyo Haneda and, as of last November, nonstop service to Beijing. More than 500 new team members, including Mandarin- and Cantonese- speaking flight attendants and customer service agents, have joined American at LAX since 2016.


Largest cruise ferry in the world ordered for Dublin-Holyhead route


IRISH Continental Group plc has entered into an agreement with the German company Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesselschaft & Co.KG (FSG) to build a cruise ferry for ICG at a contract price of €165.2 million.


Upon completion, it will be the largest cruise ferry in the world in terms of vehicle capacity. The ship will accommodate 1,800 passengers and crew, with capacity for 5,610 freight lane metres, which provides the capability to carry 330 freight units per sailing. Overall, it will effectively be a 50 per cent increase in peak freight capacity compared to the MV Ulysses.


The Agreement between ICG and FSG provides that the cruise ferry is scheduled for delivery before Mid-2020. Twenty per cent of the contract price will


be paid in instalments during the construction period. The balance of 80 per cemnt will be paid on delivery. ICG intend to utilise credit facilities to finance the cruise ferry. The pre-delivery instalment payments to FSG will be protected by means of bank guarantees. This cruise ferry will be designed and built to the highest standards of cruise shipping, and equipped with efficiency, comfort and capacity in mind. Emissions scrubber technology (included in the above price) and ballast water systems will meet current and known future environmental regulations and will deliver optimal fuel consumption while minimising related costs. The cruise ferry will be powered by four main engines delivering 33,600 KW of power which will ensure a high degree of service reliability equal to the MV Ulysses which is currently the most reliable


ship to ever operate on the Irish Sea.


The cruise ferry is being built specifically for Irish Ferries Dublin–Holyhead services. It is expected to replace the schedule of the MV Ulysses, which in turn will replace the currently chartered vessel MV Epsilon in the fleet. This will allow for the deployment of the W.B. Yeats (arriving Mid 2018) full-time on the direct Ireland – France route alongside the MV Oscar Wilde. Freight capacity will be provided over five decks. Uniquely, the vessel has been designed for three tier freight bow loading to allow for efficient loading/unloading and quick turnaround times. Passenger facilities will be spread over three decks. In addition to a superb choice of bars, restaurants (to include both á la carte and self-service options), special provision has been made for premium Club Class


An artist’s impression of the new ferry


passengers, with a dedicated lounge featuring private access direct from the vehicle decks. A choice of state-of -the-art entertainment options and cinemas, dedicated facilities for freight drivers, as well as many retail outlets will ensure that all passengers will be comfortable and engaged throughout their journey.


Lisa Steele - General Manager of the new £25m AC Hotels by Marriott


February 2018 Travel News


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