p9 sep12 9/9/08 17:45 Page 9
ttglive.com
news
Brochure giant
Futura airline goes bust
BP buys its rival
Chris Gray.
Panorama and Direct Holidays, had about 1,100
BP TRAVEL Marketing Services has bought A CHARTER airline due to fly thousands of customers due to fly at the weekend. Head of
brochure distribution rival Au Logistics for an customers for major tour operators became the sales Brian Nevin said the vast majority were
undisclosed sum. latest carrier to fall victim to high oil prices this found alternative flights by Tuesday.
The deal has been prompted by a decline week. Cosmos and Avro had 1,500 passengers
in the market for brochure packs, which have Futura International Airlines filed for bank- affected over two weeks.
dropped from 12 million five years ago to fewer ruptcy protection in Spain on Monday, forcing Simon Nugent, chief executive of the Irish
than seven million today. First Choice, Thomson, Thomas Cook and Cosmos Travel Agents’ Association, said it was relatively
BP managing director Paul Markland will head to find alternative flights. easy to find alternative flights because the
the new group. The Spanish-owned independent charter airline failure happened after the summer peak.
“For understandable reasons brochure print operated between mainland Spain, the Balearics, Futura said it ran into difficulties due to the
runs have reduced so, by pulling the two sets of Canaries, Malta, Egypt, and the UK and Ireland. “excessive and speculative” increase in oil prices.
volume together, we can maintain the current It was particularly well used by Irish It had started discussions with a new investor
service levels and pricing,” he said. operators, which had customers due to fly on but had not reached agreement so filed for bank-
BP’s operation in Ashford, Kent, and Au’s more than 20 flights last week. ruptcy protection while discussions continued.
business in Birkenhead will continue. First Choice and Thomson had 1,600 UK pas- Futura was set up by Aer Lingus in 1990 and
Cost savings will come from the joint delivery sengers affected, plus more from Ireland who was initially headed by Willie Walsh, now chief
operation and back-office integration. booked with Falcon Holidays, part of First Choice. executive of British Airways. The Irish carrier
The deal is subject to regulatory approval. Thomas Cook’s brands in Ireland, Sunworld, sold its final stake in 2007.
Cruise Week
off to a flyer
THE FIRST National
Cruise Week has seen
thousands of agencies up
and down the country
host events to promote holidays at sea.
The Association of Cruise Experts’ first
national consumer campaign kicked off on
Sunday following an official launch in Dover
onboard NCL’s Norwegian Jewel last Thursday.
On Friday, Bath Travel opened its new high
street store in Southampton and on Sunday Get
Cruising in Tunbridge Wells hosted a cruise show
for 300 customers, involving 20 lines.
National Cruise Week has generated
widespread publicity in national and local
newspapers and on local radio stations.
Thomson has arranged for P&O Cruises mas-
cot Noddy to visit its Brighton store and the Inn
Lodge in Portsmouth for a large consumer show.
Cruise Week offers include early booking deals
for ex-UK 2009 Carnival Liberty sailings and £50
off Voyages of Discovery Antarctica cruises.
■ Cruise Week news, page 26
CRUISE WEEK EVENTS: To see the full list
of the thousands of events being held, visit
cruiseexperts.org and click on the CW banner
Dawn Jordan, Bath Travel cruise director, with Complete Cruise Solution’s Giles Hawke outside the new Southampton store
12.09.2008 09
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