MYTRAVEL has begun
a wide-ranging review of its airline business in a bid to take on the low-cost
carriers.
High on the list
of priorities is a repackaging of its flight-only programme to offer more
flexibility, along with research to see if the company could realistically run
its own scheduled no-frills operation.
The whole project
has been handed to Richard Carrick in his new role as chief executive of
MyTravel global development, with help from MyTravel Airways managing director
Dave Betts. They have been told to report back directly to chief executive Tim
Byrne – leaving other senior staff in the dark.
The MyTravel Group
currently sells one million flight-only seats a year through its Airtours tour
operation yet has never sought to publicise the programme. But the group said
the no-frills revolution had demonstrated the growth in the market. As part of
this, the group is ready to separate the programme out from Airtours and
promote flights for more flexible shorter durations.
Most flight-only
seats are seven or 14-day returns in line with the operator’s own packages,
although it is possible to book single flights or shorter durations.
A spokeswoman
said: “We are going to re-market our seat-only sales. The extra growth in the
industry is with the low-cost airlines and we are saying we can do it as well
as anybody else.”
However, senior
industry sources greeted the news with amazement.
They believe it is
impossible to increase flexibility outside of a rigid charter programme with
seven-day durations. For example, Airtours Holidays clients change over in
Crete once a week, on Friday. Other destinations served more regularly from the
UK could offer flexible returns, although it would mean clients departing and
returning from different airports.
Critics also
questioned whether MyTravel would want to be exposed to the potential losses of
a scheduled carrier – which ultimately caused the collapse of ILG in 1991.
“We’re not ruling anything in or out as yet,” said a spokeswoman.
“Carrick has been given a completely free hand.”