NEWS
Airline urges trade to help shake off its public image as a business travel carrier
BA calls on agents to
back its leisure promo
Ian Taylor
ian.taylor@rbi.co.uk
British Airways has urged
agents to back a leisure sales
push after beginning a fourweek
ad campaign in national
newspapers at the weekend.
BA head of leisure sales
Adam Daniels dismissed suggestions
the initiative may
fl ounder amid the scepticism
of some agents, saying: “Our
closest trade partners have
called for us to do this.”
The carrier launched the campaign
off the back of completing
its move to Heathrow Terminal 5
on October 22, reporting its
busiest day at the terminal and
its best punctuality fi gures at
the airport for 23 years.
The multi-million pound
promotion will also run online,
with BA hoping to shift con-
www.travelweekly.co.uk
BA’s new advertising campaign is aimed at leisure travellers
sumer perception after recent
campaigns stressed BA’s benefi
ts for business travellers.
Daniels believes the luxury
holiday market will prove immune
to a downturn, following
market research by Mintel.
He said: “The study shows
people are not prepared to sacrifi
ce their holiday and the
campaign will remind people
BA fl ies to many leisure
destinations.
“Anecdotal evidence suggests
travellers are increasingly asking
agents to ensure they are
booked with a name they trust.
In hard times we need people to
latch on to initiatives like this
and want agents to help us.”
The research was conducted
in May, before the near collapse
of the fi nancial system, but
Daniels said: “We are still seeing
demand for luxury holidays.”
A BA spokeswoman said:
“Special occasion holidays are
linked to specifi c dates and
planned in advance. Cutbacks
are more likely across secondary
holidays.”
She added: “People are turning
to the web for information,
but there is too much choice so
they are looking to others to
help, particularly with holidays
to adventurous locations or
different cultures.
>For more aviation news,
go to www.travelweekly.
co.uk/aviation
BA/Iberia
merger may
be delayed
BA’s merger with Iberia may be
on hold, as a result of the fall in
the stock market that has cut
the British carrier’s share value
by more than two-thirds.
The merger was proposed as
a share swap that would see BA
take a controlling stake in a
joint carrier. But the economic
downturn, fall in shares and
renewed defi cit in staff pension
funds has weakened BA’s position,
with Iberia’s major shareholders
demanding a greater
share in a merged airline.
BA was due to release its latest
quarterly results on Friday.
Daniels declined to comment
on the level of traffi c, but conceded
it is unlikely New York
will enjoy such a good pre-
Christmas period as last year.
The carrier has cut its winter
schedule by 3% compared with
a year ago and launched a series
of special offers – including
fares from £279 to New York,
£299 to Dubai and £499 to the
Caribbean.
November 7 2008 | Travel Weekly | 15
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