OUTSPOKEN Ryanair sales and marketing director Tim
Jeans has urged agents not to bear grudges against him after landing the top
job at MyTravel’s new low-cost airline.
The move comes just days after Ryanair lost its
controversial battle over commission on Passenger Service Charges and was
ordered by the High Court to pay agents up to £250,000.
Jeans will leave Ryanair at the end of the month and
start as managing director of the new airline before its first flight on
October 1.
He stressed agents should separate the “corporate from
the personal” and understand the new airline was not Ryanair. “The starting
point is completely different. It’s inappropriate to speculate on how the trade
will or will not play a part in MyTravel’s distribution,” he said.
But he admitted the Internet remained the best
distribution channel for the new airline.
“I’m very strongly identified with the Ryanair
approach and that is 100% right for Ryanair.
Whether or not a different approach will be appropriate is something I
can only say in due course. Change is never easy but nobody wants conflict.”
Jeans will report into MyTravel chief executive of
global development Richard Carrick, who is set to announce a name, base and
routes for the airline within weeks.
Carrick said: “Tim is the guy I have wanted from day
one. He is not agents’ favourite person because he hasn’t given them what they
want but I think most of the trade respects him. If Tim wants to establish an
alliance with the trade, he will be capable of doing so.”
An aggressive launch is planned for the new airline
but Carrick said he didn’t aim to “court controversy”. The routes will be ones
MyTravel Airways – formerly Airtours
International – already has experience on.
Jeans will be in charge of the day-to-day running of
the airline, including yield management, sales and marketing. Maintenance,
safety procedures and engineering will remain the group’s responsibility.
He denied MyTravel was creating a “me too” airline.
“There will be an opportunity to create a distinctive
operation that is more flexible and accessible than existing charter and
low-cost airlines. I don’t think MyTravel is trying to clone one of the other
players.”
MyTravel tour operations aviation director Bill
McGrorty and other existing group staff have been drafted in to help set up the
new airline.
A new bookable website is
under construction, while one of the group’s existing call centres is expected
to take 10%-15% of bookings.