p46 biz travel nov7 4/11/08 15:15 Page 46
Business travel
Martin Ferguson
020 7921 8011
maferguson@ttgbusiness.com
Keep up with the latest business travel news at
ttgbusiness.com
Bath acquires
Baxter Hoare
BATH Business Travel (BBT) has acquired London-
based travel management company Baxter
Hoare Travel for an undisclosed sum.
It is the Bournemouth-based company’s first
venture outside of its south coast stronghold.
Bosses say the deal will boost BBT’s annual
turnover by more than 20%. It is forecast to
reach £30 million by next April; Baxter Hoare’s
current turnover is £6 million.
Delta merger ‘will
Adam White, managing director of BBT, said:
“We are delighted to welcome the highly experi-
enced Baxter Hoare team to the Bath Travel
Group. The London operation will clearly provide
push up air fares’
new exciting opportunities for all our businesses.”
BBT believes the deal propels it into the top 25
Martin Ferguson.
“Now there will be even less flexibility. So in
TMCs in the UK in terms of turnover. THE BUSINESS travel industry has reacted terms of negotiating with the airlines this does
Baxter Hoare, a member of Advantage’s Focus negatively to the approval of Delta Air Lines’ not look like good news. But we will have to
Partnership, was founded in 1883 and is one of £1.7 billion acquisition of Northwest Airlines by watch how it develops.”
the longest-established agents in the country. Its the US Justice Department. The US authorities granted the airline
future membership status of Advantage has yet Travel managers in the US believe the deal – anti-trust approval on the basis that the deal
to be decided. BBT does not belong to any group. which has created the largest single airline in the would benefit consumers.
Managing director Colin Saunders led a world – will lead to inflated air fares and will But the Business Travel Coalition in the US
management buyout from previous owners weaken customer service. thinks a mistake has been made.
Wembley London Ltd in 1996. He has a 40-year In terms of services and routes, the UK In a statement it said: “The consequences of
association with the company and will remain in remains largely unaffected. But some industry anti-trust approval will include higher fares,
his role for another two years. figures are concerned agents will find it even disruptive customer service and diminished
more difficult to negotiate the “mini-alliance” connectivity to important business centres.
that exists between Delta and Air France/KLM. “Given the massive global reach of the
American Express
Ken McLeod, corporate director of the Advan- enlarged Delta, a first priority of the new
tage consortium, said: “Dealing with what is es- presidential administration should be to recon-
cuts 7,000 staff
sentially four airlines as one entity is not ideal. sider the negative impact of airline consolidation
“We have already seen with Air France and on consumers.”
KLM that airline representatives don’t work well The new airline will have annual revenue of
AMERICAN Express is to cut 10% of its worldwide together and don’t know each other’s products. more than £20 billion and employ 75,000 staff.
workforce as part of a cost-saving strategy.
The company said it had to reduce its head-
count to cope with worsening economic condi-
tions. Most of the 7,000 job cuts will be made at Travelport works with Microsoft
management level and in non-client facing areas.
It is not yet clear if Amex Business Travel will TRAVELPORT is to team up with Microsoft to director for hospitality, said his company’s
be affected. Salaries and recruitment are also develop travel technology targeted at the trade, technical expertise, combined with Travelport’s
being frozen next year. Company bosses say the suppliers and travellers. market knowledge, would create an “innovative
restructure will save $1.8 billion. The partnership will develop services that solution” for the industry.
Kenneth Chenault, American Express chair- will generate new revenue and cost reduction “We will improve the traveller experience with
man and chief executive, said: “This will help us opportunities, provide a broader distribution a new level of personalisation,” he said.
manage one of the most challenging economic reach and improve customer satisfaction. Microsoft said there would be further
environments we’ve seen in many decades.” Geoff Cairns, Microsoft’s worldwide managing announcements early next year.
46 07.11.2008
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