NEWS TRAVEL WEEKLY BUSINESS CONTINUED FROM THE BACK
studying all the legal aspects of this situation.” A poll by the Global Business
Travel Association (GBTA) suggested corporate travel managers could switch wholesale from booking Lufthansa. GBTA reported: “50% of travel managers who include Lufthansa as a preferred carrier plan to decrease spending with Lufthansa.” Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC) chief executive Paul Wait said: “Our members have shown little interest in Lufthansa’s moves to disrupt the system.” He pointed out: “GTMC members book over 80% of UK expenditure on managed business travel.” However, Lufthansa claimed
“strong interest” in establishing direct-connect booking channels “among industry partners”. That was dismissed by one industry insider who said: “Direct connect is a walking corpse. Professional travel buyers gravitate to channels with transparency.” The carrier hopes agents will use its online portal, LGGroup-
agent.com, or book via the group airlines’ websites or service centres to avoid the fee. But agents booking business
travel will need the management information a GDS supplies. Wait noted: “The Lufthansa website cannot offer the added-value, expertise and knowledge that booking via a GDS has. The website does not deliver for travel management requirements.” The spokesman for Amadeus
warned: “This is potentially a problem for small and medium- size travel agencies. It is a threat to the pluralism of the industry.” He added: “We will follow the booking numbers very closely as of September 1.” Members of the Advantage
Focus Partnership introduced a policy of non-cooperation with Lufthansa last week (Travel Weekly, August 27).
EDreams Odigeo buoyed by 38% rise in mobile sales
Phil Davies
phil.davies@travelweekly.co.uk
European online travel group eDreams Odigeo’s first-quarter bookings rose 4% to 2.6 million as a result of a significant increase in mobile customers.
Mobile app downloads in the
three months to June 30 increased by 73%, fuelling a year-on-year rise of 38% in mobile bookings. Revenue margin, or retained
revenue, per booking increased by 2%. This resulted in 6% growth in the consolidated revenue margin, contributing to a total of €113.8 million. Adjusted net profit for the
quarter came in at €3.4 million – a year-on-year increase of 24%. The Barcelona-based company
attributed its results to a strong performance in all parts of the business, particularly non-flight, and growth outside Europe. EDreams Odigeo said it is on
course to meet its targets for the 2015-16 financial year, announced in June, of more than 9.7 million bookings, a revenue margin of more than €436 million and
Irish Ferries reports ‘strong’ trading in summer
Irish Ferries reported positive trading during the summer peak. Year-on-year passenger numbers grew by 1% between July 1 and August 22. In the year to August 22, carryings rose 2% to 1.1 million, while the number of cars handled was up 6% to 267,900, compared with the same period in 2014. Revenue for the six months to
94
travelweekly.co.uk 3 September 2015 ON THE UP: EDreams Odigeo’s first-quarter bookings increased by 4% 2.6m
Edreams Odigeo’s total bookings in three months to June 30
adjusted earnings before tax of €91-€94 million. The company reported combined improved conversion rates for Opodo and GoVoyages in the quarter due to an ongoing move
June 30 rose by almost €10 million to €86.5 million, with earnings before tax up from €10.3 million to €20 million.
First-half passenger carryings
increased by 2.6% to 701,600, while the number of cars carried rose by 7.1% to 161,600. Parent company Irish Continental
Group reported an 82% rise in year-on-year earnings to €25.5 million in the first half of 2015. Chairman John McGuckian
said: “I am pleased to report a strong performance in the first six months of the financial year. “This trading momentum
IRISH FERRIES: Posted €10m rise in revenue in first half of year
has continued over the key summer period and the group is well-placed to benefit should these market trends continue for the remainder of the year.”
to a single front-end platform. Chief executive Dana Dunne
said: “We are satisfied with the performance in the first quarter, which recovers growth after a difficult year. “We have made good progress in continuing to deliver an enhanced customer experience and launching products such as mobile, and this is laying strong foundations for our future growth.” EDreams Odigeo operates
the eDreams and Opodo brands in the UK.
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