In Brief On The Move

In Brief

OpenSkies expands to Amsterdam

OpenSkies, the BA subsidiary which began a Paris-New York services last month, is to launch a transatlantic service from Amsterdam in October.
The daily flights between Amsterdam Schiphol and New York's JFK Airport will start on October 15.
Dale Moss, OpenSkies' managing director, said the response to the airline since it first flight from Paris Orly in June had been "overwhelmingly positive."
He added: "We're expanding to Amsterdam because of its significance as a business and cultural capital in Continental Europe and the opportunity to bring premium service to travelers on another route across the Atlantic."
The airline also announced that it planned to enlarge its PREM+SM cabin from 28 to 40 seats on its flights from Paris-Orly and Amsterdam-Schiphol.    
The re-configured aircraft with 64 seats will be used on the Pairs route from October 1.
BA announced that it had completed the purchase of French all-business class carrier L'Avion for £54m.
L'Avion which operates two daily flights between Paris Orly and Newark, will fly as a subsidiary of BA before being fully integrated with OpenSkies by early 2009.

Carlson teams up with StarCite

Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) has selected StarCite as its preferred technology partner for its meetings and events service.
The travel management company previously used some StarCite software.
It now plans to make the technology from the online meetings management company available to clients across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
The software will be available in four languages, English, French, German and Spanish and in future, Italian.
Hervé Joseph-Antoine, CWT's vp meetings and events - EMEAEurope, Middle East and Africa, said: "Meetings and Events is an important component of effective travel management.
"With greater visibility and control over this area of significant spend, clients will realise greater compliance, cost savings and better negotiating power not only for strategic meetings, but for all their corporate travel expenditures."
CWT also announced that it had bought Piedmont Travel, the largest travel agency in South Carolina.

Ryanair reports 85% drop in profit

Ryanair, Europe's largest low cost carrier, reported an 85% drop in post tax profits for the first quarter of its financial year.
Earnings fell from €139m for the same period of 2007 to €21m.
During the year, Ryanair said that oil prices had almost doubled.
But despite the drop, passenger figures were 19% up and revenue rose 12% to €777m.
Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's ceo, said fuel now represented 50% of his costs compared with 36% last year.
He said on the basis of the airline's fuel price hedging, fuel costing $130 per barrel in Q4, and a 5% drop in fares, the full result would be between a break even figure and a €60m loss.

Austrian looks to privatise

Austrian Airlines has called on its government to sell its 42.75% in the airline so the carrier can find a strategic partner.
The move comes after a project set up by the airline to assess strategic option recommended it find a partner.
Alfred Ötsch, Austrian's ceo, said: "From the company's business point of view, there is a clear recommendation in favour of a strategic partnership.
"The key factors are that important parameters, such as economies of scale, purchasing synergies as well as improving the international sales strength and long-term financial stability, can only be met together with a strategic partner."
The airline also announced a second quarter net profit of €11.7m up from €7.7m in the same period last year.

NBTANational Business Travel Association: NBTA was renamed in February 2011 to the GBTA (Global Business Travel Association). It provides its members (business travel management professionals) with education and information unveils new tools

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) was due to unveil three new tools at its annual Convention in Los Angeles.
The association representing travel managers said its Airline Request for Proposal (RFPRequest for proposal) tool had been "completely recreated" and was designed to serve as an industry standard.
The two other tools are the 2008 NBTA CSRCorporate Social Responsibility: A concept whereby companies and organisations form policies for the good of society. Responsibity is taken for the impact which an organisation's activities have on, for example, customers, employees, shareholders and the environment. It also entails a duty of care towards its employees. Toolkit: A Primer on Responsible Travel Management and a new CSR Component of the NBTA Foundation's Managed Travel Index and Benchmarking Tool.
Both were created with the help of Advito, the consulting division of BCD Travel.

Amadeus extends SAP partnership

Amadeus, a travel technology and distribution company, has extended its partnership with SAP, a provider of software for the travel industry.
The two companies plan to market an "enhanced travel management and expense solution for corporates."
Amadeus said this was a combination of the travel expense functionality of the SAP Travel Management application and its eTravel Management.
Claude Giafferri, Amadeus' vp travel office products and solutions, said: "Companies are increasingly demanding seamless collaboration between finance, HR and travel management platforms as a means of improving travel processes and increasing workflow efficiency.
"Through our partnership with SAP, we are now delivering a powerful offering that meets these demands."

On The Move

Kavanagh quits CWT

Sue Kavanagh, Carlson Wagonlit Travel's director of resources for North Europe, has resigned from the company.
She had worked for CWT for 20 years.
Andrew Waller, Carlson's vp for the UK, said: "Sue is well known across the industry and is leaving CWT after 20 years' service, during which time she has made a huge contribution to the business in a period of significant growth.
"We wish her well as she pursues other opportunities in the next phase of her career."
Carlson said it had already replaced Ms Kavanagh and an announcement will be made later this week.

Avis appoints new sales directors

Car hire firm Avis has appointed two new directors.
Anthony Ainsworth becomes the new UK sales director while Roger Evans takes up the new position of UK national accounts director.
Mr Ainsworth will be responsible for all corporate, insurance and leasing activities.
He joins from Abbey where he was responsible for retail banking in south east England.
He takes over from Roger Grainger who is leaving Avis in October.
Mr Evans joins from Avis Europe where he was head of strategic accounts and replacement.

Birrell new HRG manager in Hong Kong

Joe Birrell has been appointed Hogg Robinson Group's new manager for Hong Kong.
He will take over the role at Westminster HRG in the former British colony in October.
Mr Birrell has nearly 25 years' experience in the business travel industry and joined HRG in 1984.
Most recently, he was responsible for HRG's multi-national clients in the EMEA region.

Goetzmann new Radisson SAS manager in Liverpool

Ralph Goetzmann has been appointed as general manager of the Radisson SAS hotel in Liverpool.
Mr Goetzmann previously worked for the hotel company as general manager at its property in Leipzig since 2006.
He has previously worked for Dorint hotels and the Westin in Berlin.