n midlands-basedindependent goes under
Midlands-based Oyster Travel ceased trading at the end of last month. The agency had branches in
Hinckley and Nuneaton.
The ABTA claimsdepartment is dealing with the failure.
n ebookers.com moves into mainland europe
On-line travel company ebookers.com has moved into mainland Europe with the $1m acquisition of Paris-based Internet specialist La Compagnie des Voyages. The buy-out is part of ebookers’ strategy to become the first pan-European on-line travel company. The Internet sites of both companies will be linked, giving French and UK users access to air fares andairline information in their own language.
n Color Air axes stansted-oslo flight
Norway’s Color Air has axed its daily Stansted-Oslo flight. The loss of thecarrier’s only UK service followed an announcement by parent company Color Group that it was notprepared to keep theloss-making airline going. Stansted flights were launched last winter, but faced competition from Ryanair, SAS and Braathens. Domestic services and an Alicante flight have also been axed.
n EUsabre/amadeus investigation closed
A 28-month European Union investigation into claims by Sabre that Amadeus was hindering its efforts to get business in Europe has been closed. Global distribution system supplier Sabre and founder American Airlines made a complaint about rival Amadeus’ ‘exclusionary conduct’ in Europe. But the EU’s directorate general for competitionhas ruled it did notfind ‘any infringementas alleged’ and would not be taking any further action.