BA LAUNCHES RESERVATIONS FOR AIRBUS A380 ROUTES

British Airways has announced that seats are now available to book on the airline's new Airbus A380 on selected services to Johannesburg. 

Agents can book now for flights to Johannesburg on the A380, starting from 12 February 2014*. 

Initially offering three flights a week, this service will increase to six weekly flights from 10 March 2014*.

Seats are also available to book now for the new double-daily service to Los Angeles starting 10 April 2014. Agents can currently book seats on one of the five flights a week to Los Angeles operated by the A380 starting 24 September 2013.

Seats can now also be booked for a daily service to Hong Kong, starting on 22 October 2013.

* Please note that dates for the inaugural flights to Johannesburg will be announced soon.

MTB 27/07/13

FREE FAMILY DRINKS FROM ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

This August, Royal Caribbean International is launching a new campaign highlighting all the features onboard a Royal Caribbean International cruise that make it ideal for families. From the FlowRider, rock wall or outdoor movie screen, to creating a tasty treat in the Cupcake Cupboard, there’s something onboard for all the family!

To celebrate the launch of the August campaign, RCI is giving all the family drinks:

• Free unlimited soda for kids
at all bars, lounges and dining venues for every child aged 3-17 years old

• Free wine while you dine
five complimentary bottles of wine per stateroom booking

• Available on bookings created and confirmed between 1 August and 30 September 2013

• Only applicable on sailings from the UK of 7 nights or more, between May and October 2014

• Valid for all stateroom categories except guarantee staterooms (Z, Y, X & W)

For more details about our new campaign, SPAA members should register for the RCI webinar on Monday 29 July at 11am ...

... AND WINE TO BE WON - OR A VIP NAMING CEREMONY TRIP!

"We’ve got 2 cases of wine to be won every day in August and September. And on top of that, every booking gives you an entry into the draw where you could win this once-in-a-lifetime experience for two at the naming ceremony for a spectacular new Quantum Class ship!

You simply need to create and confirm any automated Royal Caribbean 2014 booking sailing from the UK between 1 August and 30 September to be in with a chance to win – and the more bookings you make, the better your chances! Good luck!"

MTB 27/07/13

UNITED AIRLINES CELEBRATES 15 YEARS' SERVICE FROM GLASGOW

On July 16, 2013 United Airlines marked 15 years of nonstop service from Glasgow to its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport, with an anniversary celebration at Glasgow Airport.  Since it was launched on July 16, 1998, the service has carried over 1.5 million customers.

Bob Schumacher, United’s Managing Director Sales, UK & Ireland, was joined by Campbell MacKinnon, Operations Director, Glasgow Airport and Denise Hill, Head of International Marketing, VisitScotland, at a celebratory event for customers at the departure gate.

“We thank customers for choosing United over the past 15 years," said Schumacher. "Glasgow continues to be an important destination with strong customer support for the route. Our flight offers fast access to the most popular tourism and business destination in the United States as well as unparalleled connectivity to cities throughout the Americas via our New York hub."

Campbell Mackinnon said: “Since its launch in 1998, United’s Glasgow to Newark service has proved extremely popular with business and leisure passengers alike. Not only does it generate considerable in-bound tourism revenue for Glasgow and Scotland, it allows businesses to access and trade with what is the world’s largest economy. Routes such as this enable Scotland to maintain and increase its global competitiveness and we’re delighted to be able to celebrate this landmark anniversary with United.”

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said:  “Efficient airline connectivity is key to Scottish tourism in a 21st century world, in which we all want to get to places quickly and easily whether that’s for business or leisure. This long-standing United Airlines route has done just that for 15 years, bringing visitors to our shores and generating millions for the Scottish economy.   As we prepare to welcome the world in 2014, with a year of astounding events such as the Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup and Homecoming, I am sure the New York United Airlines route will be busier than ever."

United flight UA162 departs Glasgow daily at 9:00 a.m. and arrives at New York/Newark at 11:25 a.m. the same day.  The return flight, UA161, departs New York/Newark daily at 7:45 p.m. and arrives in Glasgow at 7:30 a.m. the next day (all times local).

From its Newark Liberty hub, United offers flights to more than 300 destinations across North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, including more than 100 cities served nonstop.

The Glasgow-New York/Newark flight is operated by Boeing 757-200 aircraft with a total of 169 seats – 16 flat-bed seats in United BusinessFirst and 153 in United Economy, including 45 Economy Plus seats with added legroom.

ONBOARD PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

United BusinessFirst offers a superior business-class service.  The BusinessFirst seat reclines 180 degrees into a 6-foot, 4-inch lie-flat bed and features an Audio/Video on Demand entertainment system with a 15.4-inch touch-screen monitor.   BusinessFirst amenities include laptop power, USB ports and a multi-course meal with complimentary wines.

United Economy offers complimentary food, soft drinks, juices, tea, coffee and inflight entertainment.  Seats feature an adjustable headrest and personal seat-back monitor delivering a multi-channel Audio/Video on Demand inflight entertainment system.

United Economy Plus offers up to five inches of extra legroom. Located near the front of the Economy cabin, the seats give the added benefit of allowing a swifter exit from the plane on In addition to its Glasgow service, United offers daily non-stop flights from Edinburgh to New York/Newark, which have operated since 2004.

MTB 20/07/13

Flybe - SERVING THE HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS + THE NORTH EAST

Companies operating in the energy sector, particularly oil and gas, in addition to manufacturing, marine and financial organisations based in the Highlands & Islands and the North East of Scotland are increasingly taking advantage of Flybe’s routes out of Aberdeen and Inverness to hubs such as Manchester and Birmingham to avoid congestion at London airports.

Flybe’s flights out of Aberdeen to Belfast City and Birmingham airports have recorded a year on year increase in passenger numbers of 62% and 20% respectively this summer.

More passengers are also flying on the airline’s six routes out of Inverness with flights to Amsterdam (27%) and Birmingham (9%) recording the highest increases. Europe’s largest regional airline has also noted a rise in the number of passengers on flights from Aberdeen (76%) and Inverness (16%) using Manchester as a hub; with many of those passengers taking advantage of the hundreds of connections available through Flybe’s interline partners to access global destinations.

Unlike many other airlines, Flybe’s independence means that it is able to link with airlines like Air France, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, KLM, Qatar Airways, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin Atlantic to offer connecting flights to destinations all over the world from Scotland, including the likes of Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Amsterdam, Doha, Dusseldorf, Dubai, New York, Paris, Philadelphia and Orlando. And beyond.

Customers on a through ticket issued by a travel agent enjoy a seamless journey with their bags and, with some airlines, the passenger themselves being checked right through to their final destination.

As the oil and gas exploration and production moves further north off the coast of Shetland, more people will be taking advantage of Flybe’s 140 flights a week to and from Sumburgh, one of the eleven airports served exclusively by Flybe’s franchise partner Loganair.   Flights from the Shetland airport to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow have connecting services to key regional destinations throughout the UK.

Likewise, with the Orkney’s increased investment in renewables, Loganair’s regular services from Kirkwall are of key strategic importance.

Flybe operates more UK domestic flights than any other airline, helping to support regional economies, in particular the corporate, oil and gas and marine communities in the Highlands & Islands and North East of Scotland.  The airline currently offers up to 1 return flights a week from Aberdeen and 51 from Inverness and looks forward to continuing to serve the region.

MTB 20/07/13

STOP PRESS // RED SEAS HOLIDAYS UPDATES ON EGYPT SITUATION

From Jason Hilton, Sales Director, Red Sea Holidays

12.00noon, 15/07/2013

Dear Travel Partner

In discussion with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), we have taken the decision to suspend our flights to Luxor and Nile cruise itinerary up to 28 August 2013.

This is because the FCO is advising against non-essential travel to many areas of Egypt, including Luxor. They are NOT advising British nationals to leave the country, and they are NOT advising against travel to the Red Sea tourist resorts, which remain peaceful.

The safety of our customers and staff in the country remains our top priority. We continue to monitor the situation closely and work with the FCO to plan appropriate steps should the advice change. A summary of the latest information is shown below, but please check the Egypt information page on our website for regular updates.

Nile Cruises and holidays to Luxor

Following FCO advice, we have taken the decision tosuspend our weekly Nile cruise itinerary and flights from Gatwick and Manchester to Luxor for departures up to, and including, 28 August. We apologise for the disruption this will cause.

Customers affected will be offered the opportunity to amend their booking to an alternative holiday from our programme with no amendment fee, or to cancel and receive a full refund. Cruise & Stay customers due to depart up toFriday 23 August will also have the opportunity to amend or cancel their holiday. All customers affected will be contacted by our Customer Service team within 7 days.

Our next flights to Luxor / Nile cruise itinerary are scheduled to depart on 4 September. These are still planned to go ahead as normal, and passengers are advised to continue with their holiday plans. We will continue to liaise closely with the FCO to determine their recommendation on whether these can go ahead, update our Egypt information pagewith the latest information as it becomes available, and contact you directly should you have any affected customers.

Excursions to Cairo & Luxor

In line with FCO recommendations, all excursions to Cairo and Luxor have been cancelled until further notice. Other excursions in the Red Sea resort areas, such as diving, snorkelling, quad biking and Bedouin adventures, remain unaffected.

The Red Sea Resorts

The vast majority of our holidaymakers visit the Red Sea resorts in the Hurghada / Makadi Bay area (including El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh and Soma Bay), Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab and Taba. These areas remain unaffected by the disturbances that have taken place elsewhere, and guests there are continuing to enjoy their break as normal.

In fact, all of the Red Sea resorts are several hundred miles – a five hour drive – from Cairo. This makes them effectively isolated from the rest of Egypt, both by distance, and the limited number of roads. The resorts also have an exceptionally low crime rate, and very low unemployment due to the vibrant tourism industry.

All our flights to Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh and Taba are still planned to go ahead as normal, and passengers are advised to continue with their holiday plans.

More information

We will keep you updated on any news on travel to Egypt that could affect the enjoyment of our customers holiday via our website and our Facebook and Twitter pages. Please also see the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website for further information.



Yours faithfully
Jason Hilton,
Sales Director

MTB 15/07/13

JTA LAUNCHES CRUISE BRAND - NEEDACRUISE.CO.UK

SPAA Associate and midlands-based tour operator / flights specialist - JTA - has launched a new trade-only cruise product - needacruise.co.uk

The brand will be supported by the one of the most advanced cruise dynamic packaging systems ever built for the travel industry. The new system will bring together airlines including scheduled, low cost and charter with cruise fares and hotels, enabling agents to build cruise packages with savings up to 40% . All packages will be covered by ATOL and delayed departure insurance.

JTA has also set up a dedicated team of cruise experts to support agents and work with cruise partners.

JTA Managing Director Wayne Darrock commented " We have been working on this project for over 2 years and the complexities of developing such an advanced system focusing on cruise. We recognised the frustrations of agents booking cruise with lengthy booking processes and restricted flight choices. Our system will provide agents with access to all major airlines and fares - including Cruise IT fares - and all complimented by a significant hotel progarmme for pre and post stay to deliver the cruise package in minutes. 

We are committed to working with our cruise partners and airlines to drive more sales via travel agents and giving agents the competitive prices to compete in such an aggressive market place!"

MTB 13/07/13

GLASGOW AIRPORT UNVEILS NEW LOGO

Glasgow Airport has reached a significant milestone in its multi-million pound investment programme with the unveiling of its new look logo.

The launch of the logo and accompanying strapline – Proud to Serve Scotland – comes at an exciting time for the airport which is currently investing £17 million in enhancing key parts of the terminal ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Glasgow Airport will be the gateway to the Games and the new logo is a key part of its extensive preparations.

Designed by Paisley-based agency Designline, the logo is a contemporary twist on an iconic Scottish symbol. It depicts the head of a thistle sitting proudly above the letter G and the use of a solid blue colour adds to its distinctive Scottish feel.

Amanda McMillan, managing director of Glasgow Airport, said: “When creating our new identity, we considered the many factors that make Glasgow Airport unique and the overwhelming theme was that the people who work here see it as more than a job. They carry out their day-to-day roles with great care and are passionate about delivering unrivalled customer service to the millions of people who travel through our doors every year. Our new strapline was therefore quite a logical choice as it articulates the tremendous sense of pride we take in serving Scotland.

“For many, Glasgow Airport is their first and last impression of Scotland and the concept of the new brand also centres on creating a ‘Sense of Place.’ We recognise the need to have a strong, identifiable personality, which positions the airport within the region, supports an enjoyable customer experience and gives people a sense of arrival to Glasgow and to Scotland, hence the use of the G and the thistle.

“Through our continued investment and new logo, we are also sending out a clear message that Glasgow Airport is committed to playing its part in the successful delivery of what will be the biggest sporting event in Scotland’s history, when Glasgow plays host to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.”

The new logo will be rolled out across the airport in the coming months - and SPAA Members can view it here .

MTB 13/07/13

HOLIDAY AUTOS TO WITHDRAW FROM UK TRADE MARKET

From Sandra Downs, Head of B2B, Holidays Autos :

To SPAA Members 

I am writing to update you on the Holiday Autos Trade business in the UK and Ireland following the recent announcement that CarTrawler, the Dublin-based car rental solutions provider, has purchased the Holiday Autos brand.

It was explained at the time that the Holiday Auto’s Trade business is not part of the sale and that Travelocity Global was assessing options for the Holiday Autos Trade business. One option, pending review and consultation across each of our trading countries, was the potential exit from the intensively competitive car rental Trade sector.

I am writing to inform you that the decision has been made to withdraw from the Trade sector in UK and Ireland as of 31 October 2013.

As of 31 August 2013, Holiday Autos in UK & Ireland will no longer accept new bookings. Up until the end of 2013, we will continue to provide customer support services for existing bookings and will take steps to manage any bookings with departure dates that occur thereafter. With immediate effect, we will no longer accept bookings due to depart after 1st November. Any customers that may wish to cancel a booking departing after 31 October, as a result of these changes will not be charged a cancellation fee and will receive a full refund.

On behalf of Holiday Autos and the Trade sales team, I want to personally thank you for your support and appreciate the valuable partnership we have built with you over many years. We will continue to engage with you over the coming weeks to support you during this transition until the business closes. Should you require any further information or have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact your account manager or sales support team at salessupport@holidayautos.co.uk or 0800 093 3222. Alternatively, you are welcome to get in touch with me on my contact details listed below.

Sandra Downs
Head of B2B Sales UK & Ireland
holiday autos
victoria gate chobham road
woking surrey GU21 6JD
direct +44 (0) 1483 263206
mobile +44 (0) 7917507387
fax +44 (0) 871 472 5228
email sandra.downs@holidayautos.co.uk

MTB 13/07/13

Jet2Holidays PRESENT NEW PRE-TRAVEL CONTACT DETAILS

In order to improve agents' experiences when making amendments & cancellations to existing bookings Jet2Holidays have changed their contact process.

Pre Travel Services now have a dedicated Administration Team, who will focus on amendments & cancellations that are requested by email.

These email addressesshould be used to contact PTS via email:

Amendmybooking@Jet2Holidays.com – For non urgent requestsCancellations@Jet2Holidays.com - Cancellation of passengers or full bookings (emails handled within 24 hours)

PTS are still contactable by phone on 0800 408 5596 option 1 and agents should continue to use this number when an amendment may result in additional costs or if the booking to be amended is for travel within 14 days.

The Pre Travel Services line is available 08:30 until 17:00 Monday to Saturday.

Jet2Holidays advise that calls may be placed in a queue when contacting the Pre Travel Services Team – especially between 11:00 and 15:00 which are peak call times.

**OTHER USEFUL CONTACT INFORMATION FOR TRADE**

To Make a New Booking (9 passengers or less) – 0800 408 5596 option 2

To Make a Group Booking (10 or more passengers) - 0800 408 5596 option 3

To setup a new account, update user account information, unlock passwords or order brochures - 0800 4085596 option 4 or email: mailto:tradesupport@jet2holidays.com

To follow up on a complaint for a holiday which has returned - 0800 408 5596 option 5

Jet2.com Flight Only Bookings & Amendments – 0871 226 1737

MTB 05/07/13

THOMAS COOK VIEWDATA CHANGES + NEW AMENDMENT PORTAL

Thomas Cook has announced the release a new version of its Symphonyviewdata system - now live for Thomas Cook, Airtours, Manos, Style Collection, Neilson Beach and Ski, Club 18-30, Escapades and Thomas Cook Accommodation only products.

As part of this release TC has disabled the Display/Cancel/Amend Booking option in viewdata with this functionality now being delivered via the simpler and more flexible new Thomas Cook amendment portal, where agents can make a full cancellation, change names, add or amend dates of birth and add or remove extras or add requests. Other amendment and part cancellations can still be done through the Administration team on the usual contact numbers found in the resources section of Thomas Cook World.

The Thomas Cook amendment portal can now be reached via www.thomascookworld.com using the same abta/password log-on credentials as viewdata. Agents will need to manually log in for security reasons.

For password queries ONLY agents should call Systems Support on 0871 895 0090 Option 2.

It will also be possible to access the portal directly through the web link agents may already use for TC's Direct Debit portal, which is http://www.thomascookb2b.com/.

A Thomas Cook amendment portal user guide can be found by visiting the SPAA Today download option above and opening the 06 July 2013 edition of the ebulletin.

MTB 05/07/13