Travel industry news

Virgin Voyages, Carnival Corp, Balkan Holidays: this week's travel trade people moves

People moves this week include a leadership shake-up at Carnival Corp and industry veteran Chris Cundall becoming JTA Travel Group’s new head of UK sales

EasyJet vows to 'strengthen' tour op's customer base following strong results

EasyJet said high easyJet holidays customer satisfaction scores of 84%, with 82% likely to rebook, had helped drive the robust financial performance. It added that future initiatives are ’under way’

Jet2holidays to help homeworkers expand onto the high street during peaks

General manager trade Lloyd Cross has set out the airline and operator’s plans to support agents during peaks, including a new ’Scale up your Street’ push

The crucial issues that fuelled the debate at Airlines 2024

On-stage discussions focused on UK competitiveness, net zero issues, artificial intelligence (AI) and the crucial question of whether Virgin Atlantic would keep a crucial feature of its in-flight experience at the first Airlines 2024 since the new UK government was installed.

Transport secretary Louise Haigh: 'This govt is not anti-flying'

Transport secretary Louise Haigh backs the aviation industry and airport expansion, telling conference Britain’s growth ’depends on you’

Heathrow boss: 'Airport expansion decision to be made next year'

Heathrow’s chief executive Thomas Woldbye has said a decision on a third runway will be made next year but needs the backing of the industry and government

British Airways expands European network with three new Italy routes

Next summer, the carrier will fly to Rimini from Heathrow, to Salerno from Gatwick and to Sardinian city Olbia from London City airport.

Virgin Atlantic chief opens door to a return to Gatwick

’Gatwick is our historic home – we’d love to go back when the time and the opportunity is right," Shai Weiss told the Airlines UK conference

How Travel Counsellors plans to become 'a £2 billion business within seven years'

CEO Steve Byrne told the 2,000-plus audience at the annual Travel Counsellors that caring for customers and leading technology would remain key

Blue Lagoon to review latest volcano closure later this week

The famous geothermal spa will ’reassess’ the situation on Thursday (28 November) southwest Iceland experiencing its 10th eruption in three years

Travel urged to seek new allies in Westminster and not 'give up' on government

The former chair of parliament’s transport committee told Aito conference delegates to engage with the ’raft of new MPs’ in Westminster to seek new allies for the industry

TTG Media named Independent Publishing Company of the Year

TTG Media managing director Matt Roclawski was named Commercial Leader of the Year at the awards, while head of partner content Madeleine Barber took away the Writer of the Year accolade

Aito gains approval to resume offering members financial protection

Aito will launch the Aito Financial Protection Services scheme after gaining government approval, but there are still a few ’technical issues’ for the association to address

The disability pay gap may be worse for travel employees – here’s why

Data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that in 2023 disabled employees earned an average of £2 less per hour than their non-disabled colleagues – and workers in travel and tourism may be disproportionately affected.

TTC Tour Brands launches flight-inclusive packages to agents

Agents will now be able to offer their clients flights when booking Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Costsaver and Luxury Gold

Bristol airport targeting new long-haul connections with 2040 masterplan

West Country airport seeking limited number of new longer-haul flights to the US east coast and the Middle East as part of a plan to expand to 15 million annual passengers

Tui staff up efficiency thanks to new AI assistant tool

AI assistants created on the Tui AI Assistant Store platform can be shared with colleagues. More than 400 individual AI assistants have already been been built by staff

Gatwick's South Terminal reopens following 'security incident'

The airport confirmed shortly before 11am ’a large part’ of its South Terminal had been evacuated owing to the incident

Agency unable to book flights for 10 days after £40,500 Iata billing 'error'

Bryan Somers Travel director Linda Millar told TTG she remains in the dark after receiving the bill for more than £40,000, warning it was enough to send a small business under if not rectified promptly

SPL Villas fixes sights on 'doubling' trade bookings in 2025

SPL’s new head of marketing Sam Willan will be responsible for the specialist’s consumer and trade marketing strategies and for building stronger partnerships with agents and consortia after the specialist’s busiest-ever October

The ex-Thomas Cook top seller who became Hays Travel's biggest franchisee

After 30 years with Thomas Cook, John Stewart tells TTG how he knew Hays Travel would be the perfect place to develop his business following Cook’s collapse in September 2019

Three Not Just Travel franchisees make jump onto high street in a month

In the past month, James and Natasha Oliphant, Rachael and Colman Coyne, and Kelly Baldwin have all opened retail units on the high street

Jet2 puts first winter sun programme on sale from new Luton base

The programme, announced less than a week after Jet2 named Luton as its 13th UK base, majors on the Canary Islands, and also features mainland Spain, Turkey and Portugal

Barrhead Travel expands to second shop in Northern Ireland – and 'sees scope' for more

The Scottish independent has chosen Newtonabbey as the location for its second shop in Northern Ireland, seven years after it opened its first in Belfast