Sovereign hit by BA decision to drop route

Montpellier

Sovereign hit by BA decision to drop route

such as Dubai and Limassol, and existing cities, such as New York, will not fare well in light of events.

Business manager of specialist products Anna Prentice said: “We don’t expect to see a huge amount of traffic to some of these places. Now we have to bite the bullet and see if we can find alternatives.”

All new destinations were planned prior to September 11 and are likely to remain in the brochure, but other cities may be added.

Sovereign is now considering offering customers train journeys from other airports to reach Montpellier.

The brochure has been increased by 16 pages with new cities and short-break destinations, including Sofia, Zagreb, Naples, Valencia and Guernsey.

The operator has added 50 to 60 new pre-bookable extras, such as theatre visits, after a 60% increase in uptake of the product over the past two years.

“We have found people want to get as much as as they can out of their city break,” added Prentice.

A What’s On When section has been added to the front of the brochure highlighting events in key cities to stimulate demand and help agents sell short breaks.

An expanded version will be launched as a stand-alone guide by the end of the month listing events and dates. Prices lead in at £125 for a one-night break to Paris, including flights and accommodation.

Prentice: seeking alternatives