Report by STEVE JONES
INSPIRATIONS, youth brand Xodus and seat-only operation FBI are all being axed as Thomas Cook begins its integration of Carlson Leisure Group.
Carlson’s Clydebank headquarters is also to close along with its finance office in Ardeer. Operations will be integrated into the Thomas Cook retail support centre in Peterborough.
The sweeping changes came just 48hrs after the European Commission approved the merger. The closure of the Scottish offices will affect 190 staff, only 70 of which are expected to be redeployed or relocated.
The 135 staff at Horley-based Inspirations and FBI’s Gatwick home are being encouraged to apply for the anticipated 100 vacancies elsewhere in the tour operating division. In total Thomas Cook anticipates 155 job losses.
UK tour operating managing director Simon Vincent said:”Not everyone will have the skills for alternative jobs or want to relocate but we are keen to retain as many experienced people as possible by redeployment.”
Inspirations summer ’99 and winter 1999/2000 programmes are to continue with the operation rolled into Sunworld for summer 2000. FBI will also continue during the summer and will be integrated with Flying Colours by the end of June.
Xodus, which was only set up in December, will be scrapped immediately with the 5,000 bookings transferred to either Sunset’s Sunscape brand or Club 18-30.
“The extent of overlap between Inspirations and Sunworld was far too great,” said Vincent.
Inspirations managing director Steve Endacott has confirmed plans to work for Carlson in the US.
The integration of Inspirations into Sunworld will help boost capacity to more than 3m by 2000.
FBI is being dropped simply to consolidate seat-only in one brand, added Vincent.
A review of flight consolidators Airsavers and Flightsavers will be concluded by the end of April while a detailed assessment of Southampton and Birmingham-based Orchid telesales is still being carried out.