p20 pink sep12 8/9/08 18:57 Page 20
news city & finance
ttglive.com
Interview Neil Chapman, Teleticket
demand in peak time to traditional Mediter-
ranean destinations, which is where Teleticket
Teleticket looks to
now has extra capacity.
However, Teleticket will still be flying in the
shoulder periods. Chapman says it can respond
quickly if agents or carriers identify demand that
is not being met and can charter all or part of an
extra flight to meet that demand.
a flexible future
In addition, the company also acts as a
consolidator for a range of airlines covering
destinations in the west and east Mediterranean,
the Canaries, Egypt, Turkey and Croatia, and sells
their seats to agents year round.
Chapman says it is the mix of being a flight-
Seat-only boss reveals how prudent capacity cuts and a niche only operator and a consolidator that gives Tele-
business model herald good times ahead. Chris Gray reports
ticket a uniquely flexible niche business model.
He believes suggestions that that model
makes it vulnerable are based on a misunder-
S
eat-only operator Teleticket is cutting airlines in advance – by 14%, but increased its standing of what it does.
committed capacity for next year – but capacity in the peaks by about 10%. Doubts have been raised about how Teleticket
increasing the number of seats it will In 2009, Teleticket will have committed seats operates since its parent company Bland Group
offer at peak times. in February half-term, Easter, May half-term, and sold GB Airways to easyJet (TTG August 29).
Managing director Neil Chapman says the throughout the summer season to November 1, Chapman points out that Teleticket was an
move is part of a strategy that has put the in contrast to this year when it had February to independent company until 2006 when it was
company on course to increase pre-tax profits for November. bought by Bland, so had GB Airways as a sister
this financial year above the £149,000 it made company for less than two years.
in the 15 months to April this year. Cutting out the risks In that period, GB accounted for only 45% to
He argues it demonstrates the flexibility of a Chapman says this has removed the risks of 50% of Teleticket’s seat supply, and the company
seat-only operator that is not tied to an inhouse reserving seats through the seasonal troughs, continued be run independently; it never acted
airline but can buy seats from other carriers for which agent feedback suggests will be deeper like a vertically integrated seat-only operator
the times and places where it identifies demand. next year as customers cut back on extra breaks, such as Freedom Flights or Avro, he said.
So for next year it has cut overall committed but ensures capacity is there for the peak. “We were never dependant on that airline
capacity – the seats it commits to buying from He believes that pattern could lead to higher for our success,” Chapman says, pointing out
that Teleticket uses about 12 airlines and 30
operators for its supply of seats.
“There is a need for airlines that are not
vertically integrated with a retail distribution
operation to use someone like Teleticket.”
Summer growth
As proof of that claim Chapman pointed to the
growth Teleticket has seen since April, improved
margins on the 8.7% of the previous year, and
the fact it has secured all its flying requirements
for next summer.
Neil Chapman CV
One of its suppliers was Zoom, whose collapse
left Teleticket without a transatlantic offering, a
1984-89
void it wishes to fill.
Joined Lunn Poly on training scheme
However, Zoom accounted for less than 3% of
at 16, rising to manager
Teleticket’s business and neither Teleticket nor
1989-95 its agents were financially exposed.
Avro customer service manager
Next month Teleticket will also lose its seat
for UK airports
supply from easyJet, which was honouring an
1995-97
earlier agreement with GB Airways. Chapman
Managing director of airport
says that will have little impact as Teleticket was
representation company Skybreak able to secure all the seats it needed from other
airlines such as Monarch and BMI.
1997-present
Managing director, Teleticket
“Teleticket is not exposed by a lack of seats.
We have a solid business to destinations we have
always featured, with or without a sister airline.”
20 12.09.2008
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