In Brief
Paragon impressed by Icarus
European members of the Paragon umbrella organisation for travel managers' associations were impressed by the Icarus Project launched by the UK and Ireland Institute of Travel Management.
The Project, aimed at combatting global warming and promoting corporate social responsibility, was outlined to Paragon members as well as representatives from the Norwegian Business Travel Association and the Belgian Association of Travel Management at a meeting in London.
One delegate told BTE that he would not be surprised if other European associations adopted Icarus, provided they could get support from their governments.
HRG upgrades Trip
Hogg Robinson has enhanced its HRG Trip, its online service which enables business travellers to view their itinerary at any time.
New features include the ability information on all hotel bookings, including those made outside the GDS, new language capabilities in French, Italian and Danish, the inclusion of French rail bookings and displays of ground travel including taxis in Sweden and Denmark.
Paul Saggar, HRG's director technology product development, said: "The improvements we've announced for HRG Trip are all based on client feedback – a combination of user insight combined with our in-house product development and technology expertise."
Alitalia bidders in place
All three bidders for the troubled Italian carrier Alitalia have been admitted to the last round of the process and asked to submit binding offers by the end of June.
The three are Aeroflot, the Russian airline, Texas Pacific Group, a private equity company and Air one, an Italian carrier.
Alitalia reported a consolidated operating loss of €107m for the first quarter of 2007, an improvement of €21m on the figures fro the same period of 2006.
It said it lost €147m during the three months, again an improvement of €10m on the figure for 2006.
Net revenues rose during the periods by 7.4% to €1,061m and passenger number increased by 5.9% to 5.5m.
On The Move
De Groot appointed KLM managing director
KLM has appointed Jan Ernst de Groot as its new managing director.
Mr De Groot, 44, is currently the airline's executive vp Corporate Center KLM.
His appointment completes the carrier's board of managing directors with Peter Hartman, president and ceo, and Frédéric Gagey the chief financial officer.
Mr De Groot joined KLM in 1992 and has held various posts including responsibility for commercial alliances, labour relations and airport strategy.
Sabre expands airline team
Sabre Travel Network has expanded its airline sales team in the EMEA region with four new directors.
The new directors are: Antonella Vecchio who joined from Alitalia last month and will be responsible for developing relations with carriers based in Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Turkey; Andrey Bystrov who will be based in Moscow and look after airlines in Russia and the 11 states of the CIS; Mette Wandahl who will be based in Stockholm and be responsible for the Nordic and Baltic markets; and Giuseppe Caputo, based in Bahrain and responsible for carriers in the Middle East.
The new directors join the existing team of Frankfurt-based Simone Kramer, responsible for German, Austrian and Swiss-based carriers, and London-based Fintan Moran, Jane Saggers and Soroya Nosworthy, responsible, respectively for the UK, Ireland and Israel-based airlines, for France and Benelux-based carriers, and for Eastern European and African-based airlines.
All report to Hamish Broom, Sabre's managing director of airline supplier relations.
Expotel recruits new senior staff
Expotel, a UK hotel and business travel agency, has appointed new senior staff.
Rabi Rabindrakumar who has more than 30 years' experience in operations and customer service management, becomes the new chief operating officer.
Mark O'Brien who has previously worked for American Express, is the new commercial and operations director, travel and exhibitions.
Sherie Starkey joins from NIS Europe where she was commercial director as becomes the new commercial and operations director conference and events.
Steve Savage, formerly with Carlson Wagonlit Travel, is the new business development director, public sector.
Gannoun joins oneworld
Isabelle Gannoun has joint the oneworld alliance as its new market development manager for France, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Ms Gannoun previously worked for American Airlines and in her new role will be based at that airline's offcies in Paris.
She succeeds Ivan Figueroa who is returning to the international sales department of Iberia.
* see BTE's recruitment site www.businesstraveljobs.com