jeans to join mytravel airline

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.