TUI Travel PLC is pleased to announce the latest update as the Group accelerates its journey to ‘One Mainstream’.
To remain at the forefront of the industry, TUI Travel is creating one ‘virtual’ airline from its five Tour Operator airlines. The Aviation function for the Mainstream Sector will provide a platform for further growth of the Group’s Tour Operators, increase the profitability of its airlines and contribute to the Group’s delivery of a seamless integrated customer experience. Essentially, the Group’s airlines will act as one, with the new leadership structure in place from 1 June 2014.
As previously announced in December, Henrik Homann was appointed Managing Director of Aviation across the Group’s Mainstream Sector. Following a 100-day review of the five Tour Operator airlines, the Group is pleased to announce the Aviation Leadership Team:
- Chris Browne, current MD of Thomson Airways, is to become Chief Operating Officer of Aviation across the Mainstream Sector. She will be responsible for running a best in class operation with common standards across all operational areas and will have four pan-European operational roles reporting directly to her – Engineering & Maintenance (Jason Mahoney), Flight Ops & Safety (John Murphy), Ground Ops & Services (Hans van de Velde) and Supplier Management & Procurement (Geert Somers). John Murphy will also become Managing Director of Thomson Airways.
- Alex Huber will continue his role as MD of TUIfly Nordic and will also take up the role of Strategy & Planning Director for Aviation across the Mainstream Sector. He will be responsible for ensuring best use of the current infrastructure and planning from a Group perspective.
- Gunther Hofman will continue his role as MD of Jetairfly and take on the role of Operational and Process Effectiveness Director. He will be responsible for ensuring that the five airlines operate together as efficiently as possible, working with regulatory bodies wherever necessary.
- Tom Chandler will continue in his role as Director of Aircraft Acquisition and Finance reporting into the Group CFO. His responsibility remains ensuring the lowest acquisition and ownership cost of aircraft, fleet flexibility and efficient fleet deployment.
- In addition to these roles, Christophe Todt will head up the Transition Office before becoming the Aviation Finance Director and Isabelle Drolle will become the Director of Aviation IT and will report to Christophe. Isabelle will continue in her role as CIO for TUIfly and also report to the Digital Transformation team led by the Group CIO, Mittu Sridhara.
Each airline Managing Director remains responsible for their respective airlines and will report to both Henrik and their respective source market MD’s.
Henrik Homann, Managing Director of Aviation – Mainstream, said:
“This is a very exciting new chapter in TUI Travel’s growth plans. This new way of doing business will increase collaboration and best-practice sharing while delivering operational efficiencies across the whole Mainstream Sector.
“I would like to congratulate the new Aviation Leadership team on their appointments. I believe the collective expertise we have in this team ensures we will deliver these ambitious plans across our airlines. Leveraging our scale and expertise ensures we are greater together than apart. I feel very privileged to be leading us on this journey.”
Please send inquiries to TUI Travel PLC
Mike Ward, Corporate Communications Manager
01293 645 776
Tress Wilson, Corporate Communications Executive
01293 645 944
