ABTA TRAVEL CONVENTION BLOG: Goodbye to the bottom feeders
It took TUI’s UK and Ireland managing director Dermot Blastland who, to the great disappointment of all journalists, was not speaking at this year’s ABTA Convention, to put a brave face on the current crisis.
“I don’t want you to make me sound arrogant,†he said, before saying what a great summer they’d had and posing the question ‘who gives a (expletive) about all these fly-by-night companies who have gone to the wall?’
Indeed, customers have enjoyed years of holidays at unrealistic prices and now the credit crisis will weed out some of their, er, less desirable punters, he reasoned.
“It will get rid of the bottom feeders in the market who will no longer be able to afford to travel. I see some of them abroad and I’m ashamed to have brought them to resorts.â€
Are we OK to quote you as calling them bottom feeders, I asked, as he may have thought it was an off-the-record chat despite my frantic scribbling. A quick check with customer director Tim Williamson and the answer is in the affirmative.
“Or you could call them sub prime,†chipped in Tim.
“Yes I like that, but I’d prefer bottom feeders,†I replied. “We need people like you to tell it how it is and, to be honest, it’s a great line.â€
“Oh, go on then,†said Dermot, before going on to reveal that charity doesn’t always begin at home chez Blastland.
“I’ve had my father-in-law moaning about the price of holidays and it’s driving my wife mad,†he said.
Hang on, surely the boss of Britain’s biggest travel company doesn’t make his family pay for holidays?
“Yes of course I do, he always moaning,†explained Dermot. “He used to say MyTravel was better than us and I put him straight. When they got into trouble he said he would never doubt me again. Now he reckons Cooks are better than us – he’s a nightmare.â€
If only all managing directors were as much fun as Dermot.
By Jeremy Skidmore
Jeremy Skidmore
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