Tag Archives: Thomas Cook

Cook unveils new UK senior team and departure of Constanti

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Cook unveils new UK senior team and departure of Constanti

 

Thomas Cook has revealed its new UK management structure, and also confirmed that chief people officer and global head of destination management Pete Constanti will leave the business at the end of the year.

In an announcement to staff today, UK chief executive Peter Fankhauser confirmed the appointment of Uli Sperl from Thomas Cook AG as product and yield director overseeing all Cook’s UK tour operating brands and wider leisure travel products.

The appointment of an over-arching role reflects Fankhauser’s desire to move away from the previous division of tour operations into mainstream and independent businesses.

Other appointments announced today included the promotion of newly-appointed marketing director Mike Hoban to marketing, sales & e-commerce director, and the promotion of former transformation director David Taylor to chief financial officer.

Hotels4U founder Haim Perry will become hotel purchasing director, but a new position of service and quality director is yet to be filled. Joanna Wild has already been unveiled as the firm’s new retail director.

Fankhauser said: “Today marks the next step in the transformation of the UK business.  A new leadership team, focused on the UK and taking on new and enlarged roles, will unite our teams.

“Together with our colleagues, we will bring together the strengths of what was formerly our mainstream and independent businesses, working more effectively and increasing our focus on the customer.”

Cook has also confirmed that Pete Constanti will be leaving at the end of the year, just two months after he was appointed to his new role.

Constanti reported direct to group chief executive Harriet Green, and is the latest in a string of departures which include mainstream and independent chiefs Ian Ailles and Phil Aird-Mash, chief commercial officer Neil Morris, chief financial officer Michelle MacMahon and retail chief executive Simon Robinson.

A company spokesperson confirmed Constanti was leaving after 21 years with Cook, and added: “Pete’s existing team will continue to report to him until December 31. We wish him every success for the future and thank him for his commitment to Thomas Cook over the years.”

Tui claims to have outperformed the market in January

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Tui claims to have outperformed the market in January

Tui Travel claims to have “significantly outperformed” the market in the peak January selling period for summer holidays.

Sales volumes are now ahead of the company’s 9% capacity reduction, and is 35% sold to date, described as in line with the previous year.

Capacity has been cut for North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, with some of this reduction offset by increased capacity in the Canary Islands.

“Turn of year trading has been ahead of expectations and we are particularly pleased with our online performance,” Tui said.

The average selling price is up 8%, reflecting cost base inflation of approximately 5% and the continued increase in differentiated content.

“We have continued to increase the proportion of holidays sold online with 42% booked online for summer 2012, up six percentage points versus the prior year.”

All inclusive bookings are up by seven percentage points to make up 55% of bookings to date for the first summer that First Choice becomes exclusively all inclusive.

The ‘all in’ holiday concept is proving attractive, particularly in the current economic environment.

“As we continue to expand our differentiated offering, which traditionally books earlier, these products have accounted for 64% of bookings to date, up seven percentage points on the prior year,” Tui said.

UK bookings for this winter have improved since early December, with volumes continuing to move towards a capacity reduction of 9% and there is less left to sell against this time last year.

The booked load factor is currently 71%, described as being broadly in line with last year.

“We are pleased with our price performance, with average selling prices up 5% in light of inflationary cost increases and increased differentiated sales,” Tui said.

“Demand for differentiated products continues to be strong with volumes up 15%. These products now account for 62% of our sales, up 12 percentage points on prior year.

“As anticipated, North Africa remains challenging with volumes down 23%. Across our programme strong demand in the lates booking period has resulted in improved load factors for November, December and January.”

Stelios likens EasyJet to troubled Thomas Cook

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Stelios likens EasyJet to troubled Thomas Cook

Nov 28, 2011 07:00AM GMT

Stelios likens EasyJet to troubled Thomas Cook

EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is reported to have likened the budget airline to troubled package holiday company Thomas Cook in a detailed submission to shareholders.

He does not rule out voting against the entire board at the company’s annual meeting in February, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

The 37.4% shareholder has dropped his demands for an increased dividend but in a detailed new presentation he is using to gain support from institutional shareholders seen by the newspaper, Sir Stelios calls on fellow investors to hold the airline’s board to account for what he sees as its recent failings.

Key to these is what he views as the airline’s obsession with buying a new fleet from Airbus, including a £713 million order for 15 new aircraft at the start of this year.

Sir Stelios also believes the airline’s chief executive Carolyn McCall is following the “flawed strategy of becoming a holiday airline”.

“The route network looks more like a charter airline with extensive summer-only routes operated two to three months of the year on less than daily flights,” he reportedly says in the 81-page presentation.

Another concern of Sir Stelios is the way the board calculates return on capital employed, particularly as this is the metric used to pay executive bonuses and fund share performance plans.

Although he has yet to decide whether he will vote against the entire board, chaired by ex-KPMG International chairman Sir Michael Rake, it is reported that he may vote against some non-executives, including new non-executive director Adele Anderson who worked under Sir Michael at the accountancy giant.

EasyJet has declined to comment.