Contact: Tanya Andreadis ( [email protected]
)
ACTE
Summits Spawn Development of Airfare Focus Group
(Alexandria,
VA, USA - November 28, 2001) The Association of Corporate
Travel Executives (ACTE), an organization dedicated to the advancement
of the global business travel industry has convened an Airfare
Focus Group as a result of member feedback from the ACTE Summits
conducted last month. The mission of this group will be to develop
an airfare structure proposal that will jump-start and sustain
the business travel industry. The focus group members, chaired
by ACTE President-elect, Cheryl Hutchinson, represent major global
corporations with over ½ billion in annual airline purchases.
A consultant has been retained by ACTE to work with the focus
group by providing airline pricing expertise and rationale to
the proposal.
According
to Hutchinson, the proposal will be based on the simplification
of the published airfare structure as well as recognition of responsible
corporate volume purchasing. The group's goal is to begin presentations
directly to the major airlines no later than January 1st. "As
major buyers of air travel, we have placed great value in our
suppliers partnering with us to provide solutions to support our
businesses. As leaders of ACTE and corporate buyers, we are pleased
to be a part of an effort that will identify solutions to support
our airline suppliers and fellow ACTE members," Hutchinson remarked.
Mark Williams,
ACTE Treasurer and member of the focus group also offered his
comments. "The entire industry realizes that the system is broken
and change is needed. The proposal offered up by Rosenbluth International
is a good start. We will analyze these suggestions as a part of
our process to recommend a new structure that jump-starts, as
well as sustains, the airline industry," he said.
As an association
equally representing both the airlines and the corporate buyers,
ACTE supports the adoption of a new airfare structure that provides
fair and honest value for all parties.
A
message from Tom Barrett, ACTE Board Member and Purchaser of Corporate
Travel
