British Airways has restructured its sales team amid an ongoing consultation where a total of 12,000 jobs are at risk.
Travel Weekly understands head of agency and consumer sales, Chris Rankin, is due to leave the airline at the end of September, and sales manager Keith Chuter left BA at the end of August.
Luke Goggin becomes head of UK and Ireland sales and global accounts, and will be the airline’s main point of contact for travel agents. He moves from his role as head of global sales transformation and operations.
Travel Weekly also understands key partnerships manager Lucy Wesley has joined Marc James in managing the airline’s tourist board partnerships, moving from her role managing Gatwick airport relationships.
British Airways said it could not comment on departures from the company while the consultation, which includes roles across the business, was ongoing.
But head of global sales Mark Muren introduced new senior appointments to his team in a video update to agent partners.
In the video, Goggin, who has been with BA for about nine years across various sales roles, said: “I’m really privileged to be coming into this role at this time. Our industry has a huge amount of work to do to come through this current phase and I’m really looking forward to working with you in partnership.
“I like to think my background puts me in a really strong position to continue working with you and developing our partnerships as we move forward.”
The video also introduced Joerg Tuensmeyer, who has spent 24 years at British Airways and has been appointed head of EMEA, Asia/Pacific and Latin America sales based out of Frankfurt.
Marie Hilditch, who had been head of corporate and global sales in the UK and Ireland, moves to the head of North America sales role. She said: “Despite the enormity of the challenges facing our industry today, the positive messages that I’ve received in the last few days all speak to the perseverance and resilience of you, our trusted travel partners.”
Muren thanked agents for their “unwavering support”, adding: “We’ve faced a lot of tremendous challenges together so far this year. Your steadfast partnership, support and friendship during this time means the world to us and we are more committed to our partnership with you than ever before.”
He also reminded agents that BA has extended its Book With Confidence policy to the end of September, meaning they can change customers’ arrival or departure airports and dates on bookings, or swap them for a voucher for future travel.
Muren said September was a “great opportunity” to find “great deals” for customers, adding that its teams were working “diligently” to find “new places to fly [without restrictions]”.
