Travel industry news

Ade Adepitan: 'Worried about getting accessible travel wrong? Talk to us!'

To mark TTG’s Fairer Travel Month taking place across July, Ade Adepitan discusses improving accessibility and inclusivity within the travel sector

Luke Swarbrook named as Kev Gaddes' successor at Travelopia

Gaddes left his role with Travelopia last month to take up a position at trade-only tour operator Lusso, leaving a trade team vacancy with Travelopia’s Tailormade brands

Manchester Airports Group confirms £2 billion investment plan after record year

The group, which owns Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands airports, saw passenger numbers soar to new heights, along with profits and revenues

Barrhead Travel appoints Sharon Watson to new role in restructured product team

Watson brings more than three decades’ industry experience to newly-created role with Scottish independent

TTG Fairer Travel Festival: tune in this week for expert training, practical advice and events

Get loads of practical advice and hear from many inspiring experts to help drive positive change within your businesses

Nearly a third of Brits changing their holiday plans due to the general election

The survey of 2,000 respondents found 16% of Brits altered plans so they could vote in person, while a further 14% changed their holidays to be in the country for the election build-up.

Aer Lingus cancels further 170+ flights this week due to pilots' action

Irish carrier pre-emptively cancels an additional 172 services operating from 1-7 July owing to a period of ’indefinite’ industrial action by its Irish pilots

Gatwick workers set to strike for five days next month

The Unite union announced on Friday (28 June) that around 300 workers are set to walk out between 12 and 14 July as well as 19 and 21 July

Trailfinders proposes ‘interim’ measure for Atol scheme

Agency’s bosses say their plan would “further remove risk” for the Air Travel Trust

Not in the Guidebooks bolsters trade team with three Co-op Holidays staff

The experience operator brings in Tracy Lote as sales team leader with Vicky Lawrence and Hannah Mildenhall also joining

Norse Atlantic Airways to update investors on funding search

Norse Atlantic Airways will detail its financial progress next week as it seeks investment and looks for charter opportunities for its aircraft next winter

UK Outbound to meet following general election to plan lobbying strategy

UK Outbound has called a meeting in mid-September to discuss how to make an impact on the new government, saying Westminster’s understanding is poor

'When chaos reigns, why is it always tour operators left picking up the pieces?'

Summer has only just begun, but already, consumers have experienced severe travel disruption – and tour operators are bearing the brunt of the knock-on effects, writes Aito executive director Martyn Sumners for TTG

Air India to deploy flagship new aircraft on Heathrow route

Air India will upgrade its key Heathrow route from September with the addition of new Airbus A350 operating most weekly frequencies

Lufthansa Group to add up to €72 environmental levy to fares

Lufthansa Group airlines have begun to charge an environmental levy to fund an increasing proportion of sustainable aviation fuel in line with EU requirements

Spending on travel continuing to outpace other non-essentials – Barclays

New CEBR and Barclays research says the UK Experience Economy - including holiday purchasing - is bigger than the GDP of Morocco and growing rapidly

Irish agents renew plea for resolution as Aer Lingus pilots agree to fresh talks

The Irish Airline Pilots Association will return to talks with Aer Lingus on Thursday (27 June)

UK theme park could be worth £50bn+ to the economy – Universal

According to a Universal economic impact analysis, the project’s net contribution could be of around £35.1 billion over the first 20 years of operation

RateHawk recruits former Flexible Autos sales director Chantal Tomlinson

The online trade booking platform said hiring Chantal Tomlinson and Laura Harrison were part of its ’ambitious plans for further expansion in the UK and Ireland’

Youtravel extends cancellations into late July following FTI failure

Bed bank cancels all active bookings for arrivals up to and including 26 July

Irish agents 'working through new list of Aer Lingus cancellations'

First of five days strict work-to-rule action under way on Wednesday (26 June) with an eight-hour strike planned for Saturday, and further disruption expected next week

BA hit by fresh tech issue as baggage system fails at Heathrow

Airline warns passengers ’we can’t guarantee your bags will have travelled with you on your flight today’

Melanie Thom to join Flexible Autos as sales director

Thom is an industry veteran with more than 20 years’ experience in the travel and car rental industry having previously held roles with Auto Europe and DriveAway

SPAA spells out demands from new Westminster government

The SPAA has published an election manifesto detailing what it wants from the new government in order to protect and promote the travel industry