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Rentalcars boss calls for clarity for EU employees
Staff at Rentalcars Connect are “concerned” about the uncertainty of Brexit and want clarity from the government, according to the firm’s managing director.
Fraser Ellacott would not rule
out the company – which employs about 50 nationalities with only 43% of staff UK nationals – moving its HQ from Manchester. “We are really keen for the
government to confirm that EU nationals will have nothing to worry about and have a place in the UK [after Brexit]. In terms of business growth and employment, it’s fundamental.” But Ellacott stressed: “This isn’t
an anti-UK nationalist aspect. We are a multinational business which, like many, rely on multi-language employees. When [the referendum result] came out, our employees
“We are really keen for the government to confirm that EU nationals will have nothing to worry about”
were really concerned.” He said there had not been a
spike in employees returning to their home countries but said recruitment had become “harder” since the referendum. He added Rentalcars would consider moving its head office “if we had to” – it already has bases in Barcelona, Japan and Bulgaria – but stressed that “Manchester is our heart and I think it always will be”. Collette Roche, Manchester Airport’s chief of staff, said “the Brexit bump” would be a challenge
ELLACOTT: ‘We are a multinational firm relying on multi-language staff’
for travel companies and also called for certainty. “We would be naive to think we can continue the way we are, particularly when people come back from their holiday and realise their money didn’t go as far as it would have done the year before,” she said. John Boler, Thomas Cook
Airlines’ chief financial officer, called for the government to extend existing air traffic rights agreements beyond 2019 but said “we seem to be way behind where we should be” on Brexit. Travel Counsellors chief
executive Steve Byrne was more positive on Brexit. He said: “If you
run an entrepreneurial business, you can’t spend time worrying about macro events [like Brexit] that you cannot control. But we cannot be naive enough to ignore it.” The company joined the CBI in
the wake of the referendum so it could be close to lobbying efforts. But Byrne said: “I don’t think one of our 2,000 people expects me to be paid one penny to worry about what happens with Brexit. “I’m paid to make the business
a better place to be part of and go and find opportunities that are out there. I think the world is full of opportunity.”
Boler praises Cook Airlines staff for meeting Irma challenge
Thomas Cook Airlines’ chief financial officer has praised staff for their handling of Hurricane Irma, which he described as a “massive logistical challenge”. John Boler (pictured) said “more
or less all” available staff worked extra hours round the clock to get customers home safely. Some flew out to the areas hit by the hurricane while others were on hand to welcome customers when they touched down in the UK. About 20,000 Thomas Cook Airlines passengers were in the affected areas, including the Dominican
Republic, Cuba and Florida. “There’s obviously a challenge
to find them,” said Boler. “And we try to make sure we have contacted all of them and keep them up-to-date. It was a massive logistical challenge.” Customers were moved
from Cayo Coco to Varadero in Cuba, with the former’s airport destroyed by the hurricane. Boler added: “At that point the hurricane was not supposed to be going through Varadero, but it changed course. By the time it was going through there we
couldn’t get anyone out. “The operational team has done
an amazing job. We are used to dealing with these sorts of things.” Collette Roche, Manchester
Airport chief of staff, added: “What we underestimate is the resilience of us all in these circumstances. “One of the things I’ve been
really proud of is our ability at Manchester to forget who we work for, forget whose customer people are and make sure we provide a really good, warm welcome and give them the support they need in what has been a really tragic time.”
28 September 2017
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