Operators

Intrepid chief: ‘We're spending a lot on driving customers to travel agents’

Intrepid Travel chief executive James Thornton tells TTG about its trade ties and tough calls on carbon reduction, and why he remains positive about the buoyancy of the adventure sector

'Strong and sustained demand' for Jet2's new Bournemouth flights

Airline and operator revealed Bournemouth as its 12th UK base last month

Newmarket Holidays ups support 'to nurture future travel talent'

Newmarket Holidays’ Nikki Bail says the operator benefits from young people’s ’fresh ideas, perspectives, and enthusiasm’

Gold Medal welcomes 50 agents to HQ for first Access All Areas event of 2024

The trade-only tour operator – dnata Travel Group UK’s flagship B2B brand – is planning to host another behind-the-scenes event later this year

Loganair axes three routes and cuts frequencies to restore reliability

Loganair’s new chief executive has outlined a plan to restore reliability on the airline’s network with cuts to routes and reduced frequencies

If Only expands southern Africa programme for 2024

The luxury tour operator has added the three destinations to its portfolio following its successful South Africa launch in 2022.

Abta's finances continue to recover as it sheds pandemic hangover

New financial figures from Abta show a healthy surplus despite making a loss on trade association activities in 2022/23

Jet2 bullish about summer 24 despite 'competitive' April and May pricing

Jet2 Group says it is happy with summer 2024 sales so far and has outlined profit expectations for the 2023/4 financial year ahead of results announcement

Eurostar unveils new fare categories with added flexibility

Eurostar has made its basic fare category more flexible in a revamp that sees a shake-up of all three classes on its trains

Heathrow facing week of strikes during and after early May bank holiday weekend

Second group of Unite union members threaten disruption at Heathrow in May in a dispute over outsourcing

Travel vacancies still far down on 2023 despite March rise

C&M figures show a slight pick-up in job vacancies in March but with the total number way below that of the same month in 2023

Industry united on need to reform air passenger compensation laws, says DfT

The Department for Transport says it is still hopeful of changing EU261 passenger compensation laws following Brexit, something that has broad industry support

Riviera Travel launches app to help sales team maximise time with agents

The Riviera Travel Sales App allows key account managers to track their agent visits and outcomes

Inside Travel Group recruits new global trade marketing manager

Tom Welland joins the company, which runs the InsideJapan and InsideAsia brands, from ski holiday tour operator Heidi

Airlines charging ‘quite stunning levels of pricing’ post-pandemic

Airlines are charging very steep fares on the back of high demand and reduced capacity, says leading industry consultant, with passengers willing to pay them

Travel Department to up agent focus following first year of trade sales

The Irish tour operator is now ’strategically’ working on building more agency partnerships

Red Sea Holidays hires Sarah Lavender as trade relations manager

Lavender has previously worked at Tenerity Travel, Tui, First Choice Holidays and Going Places

Brexit ban on overseas staff may be overturned as EU urges talks

The European Commission has said it wishes to open negotiations on allowing young Britons to work in the EU again after the right was removed by Brexit

Aito brings HQ team back up to full strength with two new hires

Christina Brazier joins the association as head of industry affairs while Emma Taylor joins as head of membership

Valladolid to host 2024 Aito conference in November

The event will be held over 21-24 November

New charter programme to restore non-stop UK-Cuba flights next month

UK flights to Cuba will restart in May following an initiative by a European charter carrier backed by specialist operators

Norse Atlantic Airways to begin Cape Town flights next winter

Budget long-haul carrier is to start flights to Cape Town next winter from Gatwick but will ditch its Caribbean services

Gold Medal extends opening hours to support demand for Disney deal

Trade-only operator opened its phone lines an hour early on Thursday (18 April) and will open for calls from agents on Sunday (21 April) from 11am to 3pm

Strong demand for packages set to ease easyJet's winter losses by £50m+

EasyJet issues an interim trading update outlining its performance over the winter, which includes a strong contribution from easyJet holidays and an increase in ancillary sales