GEE QUITS RAIL EUROPE
Rail Europe sales and marketing director Karen Gee is to leave at the end of the week to join a new travel Internet company, called eDreams. Gee will be responsible for launching the Barcelona-based company in the UK.
ABTA IN PSC MOVE
The court case involving ABTA and a number of airlines over the issue of Passenger Service Charges is due to begin today at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London. The hearing is scheduled to last between five and eight days.
SELL-OFF PLANS
BritishMidland will outline details of its 20% sell-off to Lufthansa tomorrow (Travel Weekly October 25). The deal involves half of SAS’ 40% stake in the UK airline transferring to Lufthansa. British Midland chairman Sir Michael Bishop will also give details of the airline’s place in Lufthansa-founded Star Alliance.
AIR CANADA DECISION
AirCanada shareholders are set to decide today if they will accept the £2.4bn hostile bid from Onex. The airline made a last-ditch effort to block the offer by increasing the amount it would pay to buy back shares from 496p to 660p, to secure almost 37% of common and non-voting shares.
CONVENTION SUCCESS
Some 1,750 delegates have signed up for the ABTA Convention in Cairns.
ROSENBLUTH WINS
Rosenbluth International has been awarded the travel account of systems consultancy company Logica. Rosenbluth will manage the travel needs of Logica’s 8,500 staff in 23 countries.