Thomsonfly creator to head GB

[Cruise Alt]

Former Britannia boss appointed GB Airways MD



GB Airways has appointed former Thomson executive Kevin Hatton as its new managing director.

He will replace John Patterson who will retire on July 1.

Hatton had stints at BA charter subsidiary British Airtours before taking over at Britannia Airways as MD in 2000.

He was then appointed chairman and chief executive of TUI airline management during which he led the team that set up Thomsonfly. He also sat on the board of TUI UK.

Patterson joined GB Airways in 2000 after 29 years at BA. He helped maintain and negotiate the franchise agreement with BA, launched a new base at Manchester and moved the airline into new headquarters at Gatwick.

GB Airways chairman James Gaggero described Patterson as a "great character" whose contribution to the airline's expansion has been "invaluable."

[beauport potato man]

so what direction now for GB?

Low cost are eating away at their shorter mainland europe routes.... the schedules are heading in a charter direction.... the A330 seems like it was just good rumour....

i wonder what kevin hatton's remit is for the future?

[Double Entry]

GB seem to be in an interesting position these days. Their future is of course largely out of their hands and in the hands of their paymaster Willie Walsh of BA.

Yes the "low costs" must be cutting their margins a bit, but on the other hand they are quite low cost themselves, and as a bonus have BA's marketing to supply them with customers.

The big question for GB is whether BA would like to buy them out (not a cat's chance in hell) or whether BA decide to stay or go at Gatwick. If they go - and it seems there is a 50/50 chance of that happening over the next few years, then GB will no doubt be ideally placed to pick up the pieces and profit nicely from them. However if BA decide to make a go of it at Gatwick you can expect them to reclaim routes back off GB, raise the price of doing business for GB and I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of the fence when that happened.

[HZMIS]

Well said. However if BA go about it in the same manner as BACX / Connect GB have very little to fear from the puppet master. Surely KH is just there to replace JP both ex BA senior management and KH had a good record in Sales and Cargo for saving monies and cutting jobs. Of interest how many of Management staff are ex BA

[Major Cleve Saville]

Of interest how many of Management staff are ex BA
Far too many; they are like illegal immigrants, they sneak in and before long all their mates join them.

No doubt when Degsy, sorry Kevin, Hatton joins we can expect to see a few more people who 'left BA to seek their fortune elsewhere' turn up. Especially now WW has been kicking out more idle dross. Look out for a few new faces (they will be the ones with the brown noses) around the Beehive.

Most seem along for an easy ride and as one senior ex BA manager said 'GB only has to last another four years and then my BA pension kicks in'. With dedication, motivation and vision like that.............

You could not wish for a more uninspiring bunch of individuals.

Could be worse, the good news is that by 1400L of a Friday they are all 'working from home'. So only doing damage for 4.5 days of the week and freeing up a lot of space in the Beehive.

[Flightrider]

How on earth GB Airways can survive when it is knocking out seats to Tenerife, Sharm and various other destinations at rates which are significantly below the charter operators is beyond me.

They look to be stumbling from one strategic disaster to the next, with no clear forward plan or idea of what they should really be doing. It is vaguely reminiscent of Air Europe - aircraft rolling off the end of the production line and the airline having to start new routes just to occupy them. It is fair to say that GB can make routes profitable that BA couldn't; but its current strategy seems to rely more upon finding a large market, trashing it with fares of the like never seen before and then wondering why everyone is losing money on it.

I suppose that's what happens when you have a bunch of unimaginative ex BA people in the fold, particularly those heading up sales and planning.

[Major Cleve Saville]

Flightrider,
I totally agree the tour operators will make money out of the package; hotels, hire cars, holiday insurance and excursions etc. The flight is a means (lossl eader?) of getting the punters to the place where the money is made. (Ryanair has the aim of free flights and making all the money from the add-ons). Where is GBs moolah from hotels hire cars etc etc. In BAs pocket of course, not of course that you would object if you are hoping/waiting for a BA pension.

The airline is not as low cost as it was 6 years ago and is unlikely ever to be able to compete with the low cost airlines on price and return a profit.
Of course if only the pilots would fly 899hrs 59 minutes a year all the ex BA Managements problems would be solved, profits restored, and management bonuses re-instated...................then they could continue the present strategy of getting more airframes, preferably knackered ex-BA ones and then finding a route, any route, to fly them on.

How are Thomsonfly doing by the way, making millions and grateful or glad to see the back of KH?