Airtours International

[SFly]

Well, the Airtours verdict is now just 3 days away. On Thursday (7 February) the Airtours Group plc will hold their Annual General Shareholders' Meeting (AGM) [at The Crowne Plaza - Midland, Peter Street, Manchester, M60 2DS] at 11:30am.

There the question of the offical name change of the group to MyTravel will be put to the many shareholders of the Airtours group by the board of ten executive directors.

The idea was announced on 27 November 2001 and has been introduced to the shareholders in this year's Annual Group Report. According to the new plan, most areas of the group will fall under this rebrand including the airline group (which includes Airtours International, Premiair, etc) and the Going Places high-street shops. Only the Airtours Holidays name will survive due to the large customer recognition factor.

The agreement of the shareholders is vital in the name change for without it, it will not go-ahead.

That decision is in T-minus 3 days and counting. I personally do hope that the change does not happen but that is only my opinion. I am eager to see what happens.

May the Airtours name live on. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

SFly

[SFly]

By the way, to the moderators:. .Please would it be possible to, just this once, not whisk this away to "Airlines, Airports and Routes". To me, this is one of the most important developments in the industry in a while and I consider it a News item. If we could keep this on R&N at least until Thursday that way it could be used as a sort of "countdown"?? . .Thanks,. .SFly

[sdac]

I suppose there is something to be said for generating a "will they, wont they" thread, but the result of the shareholders meeting is a forgone conclusion. The name will change to My Travel, no question.

[SFly]

Think so? Well I shall still wait and see.

1 day, 1 day left folks!

SFly

[newswatcher]

This one jetstream?

http://www.justplanes.net/images/020201_Mytravel_LCollins.jpg

[BLACK_BUSH]

And don't she look pretty!! :)

[rentaghost]

Not too sure about pretty - I thought the registration summed it up though... G-CRPH, now there's a letter missing there somewhere!

[SFly]

The repaint was a "proposition": a sort of demonstrator to show off that "Hey look everybody, this is what it looks like."

And it just doesn't match the Airtours name or brand as far as I'm concerned.

. .Tomorrow is the day of judgement.

SFly

[FLEX42]

Shouldn't all shareholders be able to vote ??? I have not even received notice of the AGM tomorrow, and have to say that my vote would be a resounding NO. Maybe that is why I (and are there any other shareholders in this situation ?)have not been informed of the AGM. Been away for a couple of weeks so it's too late now for me to make arrangements to attend anyway.

I pity the crews who will have to fly this eyesore, what do they think ? Glad to have a job I guess as in reality Airtours/My Travel, whatever they're called have faired better than most recently (mind you, they were still called airtours then <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> ). Good name for a shop, but an airline ???? Sort it Messrs Lee, Betts et al before it is too late. This name is a total folly, methinks I'll be selling my shares because despite what the clever marketing people think, the city and the shareholders will not be amused. Time will tell <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

[Only A Few More Seasons]

Surely the call sign will have to change to reflect the new image,how about "Tooth Paste".

[SFly]

And the verdict is??????? <img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[763 jock]

A profits warning!!!. .Shares down 13p at lunchtime due to a profits warning. Another masterstroke. <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

[Julian]

I agree with you Sfly, 'MyTravel' sounds pretty amateurish - I wonder how much they paid someone to come up with it.

Have not got a clue why they want to re-brand but 'Airtours' sounds much better.

[newswatcher]

DC to step down! From the FT:

"Mr Crossland, chairman of the group for 15 years, will retire in November. He will be replaced by Eric Sanderson, currently non-executive deputy chairman.

The announcement of Mr Crossland's retirement came as the group revealed in a statement ahead of its annual meeting that charter bookings to all markets had improved since Christmas.

Capacity has been reduced and average selling prices for winter are 3 per cent ahead of last year. Summer prices are 1 per cent up on the previous period, and Airtours said that it had less holidays to sell than last year."

and Julian, guess Airtours doesn't sit well with the cruising trade!

Any bets that after a few well publicised delays, it will be known as "MightTravel"

[ 07 February 2002: Message edited by: newswatcher ]</p>

[SFly]

Well, I say.

That's it then?

The long-lived, well-trusted Airtours name is to be no more? <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

Hardly seems possible. If they wanted to bring the group companies under one roof it should have been a blue Airtours one, not a sickly orange MyTravel version.

Official information to be found here: <a href="http://www.airtours.com/news_level3.jsp?storyid=14" target="_blank">The Group's Annual General Meeting Statement</a>

In this time of industry-wide strife, people are going to be turning to names they have heard of and can trust. So that's more business for Thomson/Britannia and First Choice-Unijet then.

I am truly very sorry to see the closing of the Airtours chapter of this group's history and the--(let's face it)--rather pathetic replacement opened up.

However, I suppose there are forces at work here which we cannot control (can there be an equal replacement to David Crossland?); If it's going to happen it's going to happen, and the shareholders, pilots, employees and others will just have to grin and bear it.

It is a bad move, but what can you say? Despite the nearly thirty-year history of the Airtours name, the directors will not be swayed! So it's good night from Airtours, and good morning from MyTravel.

I am shocked---it still doesn't seem possible that the image that has become so familiar over the years (you can't really go to an airport without seeing those sunbeams glittering at you) is now to just not be there; just another new airline coming in.

Still, the Airtours Holidays name lives on. (The only wise decision of this whole affair perhaps?)

Goodbye Airtours, we will miss you. <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> . .http://www.airliners.net/photos/small/2/9/4/200492.jpg. .http://www.airliners.net/photos/small/1/9/4/200491.jpg

SFly <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

[ 08 February 2002: Message edited by: SFly ]</p>