TheMoodieReport.com

TheMoodieReport.com: "Alpha shares suspended amid auditor's enquiry into major contract award � 25/04/06
Source: �The Moodie Report
By Dermot Davitt
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UK. The board of Alpha Airports Group has today requested a temporary suspension in the listing of its shares. This follows enquiries by the company�s auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), into a series of transactions connected with a major contract awarded to the company during the financial year.

PwC notified Alpha last night that it was withdrawing its approval to the statement of preliminary results for the year ended 31 January 2006 which were announced on 30 March 2006.

Alpha said it is now urgently seeking to clarify the position with its auditors.

The publication of the audited accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 January 2006 and the company�s Annual General Meeting will now be delayed.

According to UK reports Alpha's contract gains last year included a deal to supply Malaysian Airlines with food at five airports in Australia. The company extended a catering contract for British Airways' BA Connect flights. It retained its duty free contract at Birmingham International Airport and won a number of other deals including agreements at Doncaster Sheffield and Sofia airports. It also struck a five-year contract catering deal for charter operators Excel Airways and Air Atlanta.

A further announcement will be made as appropriate, said Alpha. "

Online travel companies too caught up in market share-,--A.

Online travel companies too caught up in market share-,--A.: "Online travel companies too caught up in market share

TTI conference sprecial report: Online travel companies are preoccupied with grabbing market share from each other at the expense of customer experience according to one internet player.

Opodo head of user experience Tanya Lidstone said companies were spending vast amounts on acquiring customers who could not even tell the difference between one site and the next.

She said: 'It is difficult to be brand loyal when everyone has the same product and same technology. Good service and usability are the differentiator. It's about the way you talk to customers and present your product.'

Lidstone highlighted market research revealing that 97% of online retailers fail to convert shoppers into buyers and that it is customer satisfaction which drives people to buy online not price.

She also advised travel companies to take advantage of new technologies which make it easier for customers to find what they want and prevent virtual dead ends.

'If you take a holistic view of customer experience you will get great conversion and great retention. A lot of the things you do in a shop are the same online but people's expectations are that it should be a better experience.'

Lidstone also advised TTI delegates to use customer testimonials and bring the online experience to life with images.

She said: 'We should be trying to replicate Crate & Barrel's website in travel. Anything to do with travel should be fun. Instead of spending money on marketing the product it would better to spend it on improving it.' "

BBC NEWS | Business | Airport firm has shares suspended

BBC NEWS | Business | Airport firm has shares suspended: "Airport firm has shares suspended

Alpha operates airport stores in 15 countries
Shares in the in-flight catering and retail firm Alpha Airports have been suspended after its auditors questioned the validity of its financial results.
Alpha asked for a temporary suspension after PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) withdrew its approval of its full-year results published last month.
The firm said it was urgently seeking clarification of PwC's concerns.
Alpha supplies food and retail services to more than 100 airlines and 70 airports, employing 6,900 staff.
Transactions probed
Following PwC's intervention, Middlesex-based Alpha is to delay the publication of its fully audited accounts for the past year while its annual general meeting for shareholders will also be put back.
PwC approved Alpha's 2005-6 results before their publication on March 30 but told the firm on Monday that it was withdrawing its approval.
Alpha said PwC's action was 'in connection with enquiries by the auditors into a series of related transactions connected with a major contract awarded to the company during the financial year'.
Alpha said it could not give any further details but a spokesman said it hoped the matter would be sorted out as quickly as possible.
PwC said it could not comment on the issue, citing client confidentiality.
Leading clients
Earlier this year, Alpha revealed that it had been the victim of a �2.5m fraud, perpetrated in a number of European countries.
The firm has launched legal proceedings over the case and is conducting an internal investigation.
However, PwC's action is unrelated to this case.
Alpha provides in-flight meals and shopping to a number of leading carriers including American Airlines, Malaysian Airlines and easyJe"

Telegraph | Money | Sunday business comment

Telegraph | Money | Sunday business comment: "This Spruce Goose is Johnson's albatross
MPs demand inquiry into BAA's future
I hope Alan Johnson, the trade and industry secretary, is enjoying the spring sunshine this weekend because a mighty political problem has landed on his runway.
Rafael del Pino, a courageous Spanish construction baron, is intent on buying BAA, the owner of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, which, together, are essential to Britain's place as a global economic hub and are used by nearly 100m people a year.
Yet del Pino is proposing to borrow so much money that it could put at risk vital investment at Heathrow and Stansted.
Indeed, reading the offer document, the del Pino consortium looks a bit like the Spruce Goose, Howard Hughes' giant flying boat that flew only once, in 1947. In the case of the Spruce Goose, the engines struggled to provide enough lift. And in the case of del Pino's Airport Development & Investment Limited, there is not enough equity.
As a consequence, it is groaning under the weight of its debt - if it succeeded, it could have borrowings of �14bn once BAA's existing debts and extensive investment programme are included.
Yet at the offer price, 810p a share, it will not succeed. BAA's shares closed at 863p on Friday and, in a little-noticed development, Richard Buxton of Schroders, its biggest shareholder, derided Airport Development's offer as 'not a remotely interesting price'. He said BAA was just the sort of share you should be able to hold 'for 25 years'. If del Pino raises his offer to, say, 900p a share, as many think he will, that could mean a further �1bn of debt.
The reason Airport Development is such an unairworthy beast is simple. Rafael del"

Telegraph | Money | Hank spanks the Goldman raiders

Telegraph | Money | Hank spanks the Goldman raiders: "Hank spanks the Goldman raiders
(Filed: 23/04/2006)

The US bank has raised eyebrows with its taste for aggressive approaches. Iain Dey reports on how its CEO is trying to square a corporate circle


Marcus Agius, the chair-man of BAA, sat with Mike Clasper, the airport operator's chief executive, and Margaret Ewing, the group finance director, awaiting the arrival of a team from Goldman Sachs. It was Valentine's Day and they had just got wind of a potential bid from Ferrovial, the Spanish construction giant. Goldman was one of five banks that had been asked to pitch for the defence brief, alongside BAA's existing adviser, NM Rothschild.
Four other investment banks - JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, UBS and Morgan Stanley - had all run through possible ways to create value by breaking up bits of the company and gearing up the balance sheet to hand cash back to shareholders.
But when the Goldman team walked into the boardroom at BAA's headquarters in Victoria, its approach was different, according to sources close to the deal. Simon Dingemans, one of Goldman's senior merger and acquisition advisers, was leading the pitch. After running through his plans for a defence strategy, he introduced Bill Young, a Goldman infrastructure banker.
Dingemans and Young went on to explain that one option was for Goldman itself to buy a chunk of BAA. They suggested that the bank could refinance the business by acquiring a significant stake and bringing new investors in. To BAA that sounded like the beginnings of a takeover.
Defence had turned to attack in one swift, unconventional move.
Agius remained po-faced as he asked Goldman to leave and told Dingemans he "

NMA.co.uk [100% Interactive Marketing, Media, Mobile and Advertising]

NMA.co.uk [100% Interactive Marketing, Media, Mobile and Advertising]: "Direct Line announces 38% increase in online sales
Platform: Internet | Author: Justin Pearse | Source: nma.co.uk | Published: 20.04.06
Email article | Printer Friendlymore NewsInsurance company Direct Line today announced a 38% increase in online sales compared to last year, along with a 30% increase in online quotes.
The results follow the redesign of the Direct Line site featuring new functionality enabling customers to renew policies online.
The new site has also been fully integrated with Direct Line's call centre, meaning all online activity is recorded for offline use.
The company also cited its current marketing campaign,...
Article continues below
... which focuses on the Web, for the uplift in online sales.
Sales in January 2006 were up 28% on January 2005 with year-on-year sales in February 2006 up 48% on February 2005.
In terms of sales, year-on-year for the months of January 2005 versus 2006 the increase was 28% and for February 2005 the figure is up 48%.
'The Internet particularly lends itself to people looking for quotes or researching insurance as it enables them to quickly and easily compare prices' said a Direct Line spokeswoman. 'However, what's particularly interesting is that many consumers who used to just do research on the Internet but buy over the telephone are now using the Web to complete their whole purchase.'"

TheMoodieReport.com

TheMoodieReport.com: "Has BAA sparked General Electric's interest? � 17/04/06
Source: The Daily Telegraph
By Martin Moodie
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US. American industrial giant General Electric Co may enter the takeover race for UK airports company BAA, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The UK newspaper claimed that 'government sources' told it that although General Electric was not involved initially in a consortium led by Goldman Sachs which had made a �9.4 billion informal approach (870p a share) on 30 March, they expected it to become involved. The report claimed also that American International Group (AIG), the world's largest insurer, has joined the Goldman Sachs-led consortium.

The other parties it claimed are two Canadian pension funds � Borealis and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan.

Yesterday BAA issued a statement admitting the Goldman Sachs approach but dismissing it as not reflecting the company�s true value. Earlier BAA had similarly rejected a formal takeover offer of 810p a share from a consortium led by Spanish logistics group Ferrovial, which valued the company at �8.75 billion.

General Electric refused to comment to the newspaper on the report. But an acquisition of BAA would fit comfortably within its scope. On 13 April it unveiled record first-quarter earnings of US$4.0 billion on revenues of US$37.8 billion.

Its products range from jet engines to power generation, financial services to plastics, and medical imaging to news and information. General Electric was recently named �World's Most Admired Company' in Fortune magazine's annual poll of executives.

The Daily Telegraph said that General Electric said last week when discussing its first-quarter performance that it was interested in"

TravelMole Q&A with Travelsupermarket.com director Chris Nixon-,--M.

TravelMole Q&A with Travelsupermarket.com director Chris Nixon-,--M.: "TravelMole Q&A with Travelsupermarket.com director Chris Nixon
Comments: 1

Continuing our regular series, Linda Fox quizzes travelsupermarket.com director Chris Nixon on the price comparison market.

Q: How does price comparison work?

A: We go out to the providers live so the price you see should be the one you get. All we are doing is shortening the journey for the user. We're not a travel agent and never intended to be one. There are two sides to the coin � the supplier and the consumer and we're trying to bring them together. Rates change all the time and we are like a portal where you come to find information, which is accurate and up-to-date. Consumers never book with us. They enter their search information and then check our database of existing suppliers and then use XML as well as screen-scraping technology to grab 'live' prices.

Q: Is price comparison always about finding the lowest price?

A: There is a common misconception that it is all about price but the real thing is the value element. People want to see what is available in the market place. The real time element is also important. A lot of sites show 'from' prices and then taxes and service charges are added on but travelsupermarket.com is about comparing like with like and it is about showing the final price. The customer gets the best value for what they are looking for and that is not necessarily the cheapest. Consumers just want to know what is out there and whether it is worth it.

Q: Given their initial reluctance are suppliers now looking more favourably on price comparison/metasearch sites such as travelsupermarket.com?

A: We like to think of both consumers and suppliers as equally important. If a consumer comes to"

NIG Network

NIG Network: "NIG Draws On Family Ties To Front New Logo Transformation
A well known name in the UK insurance market, that of leading broker-only insurer NIG, relaunched its logo today, fronted by promotional purple men scurrying around the City.
NIG�s new look logo which now incorporates The Royal Bank of Scotland Group�s daisy wheel logo, builds on the strong parentage of NIG.
Charles Crawford, NIG�s Managing Director commented:
�The decision to update the NIG logo puts the finishing touch to our restructuring process announced last November. We have integrated our commercial and personal lines businesses and re-engineered the company in order to achieve the fullest potential and highest service levels.�
�The inclusion of the daisy wheel is the first phase in NIG�s brand relaunch and provides a new look for a new business, as well as helping NIG to fulfil its ambition of becoming one of the UK�s foremost insurers in the intermediary channel.�

Over the next few months, the company will roll out new marketing material to reflect the new look."

Avis added to Galileo Leisure

Avis added to Galileo Leisure: "Galileo Leisure has added Avis Europe as its third car rental supplier.

Avis joins Alamo and Europcar as participants in the portal, doubling the number of car pick-up locations and cities available.

More than 3,200 travel agents are using the portal, developed by Cendant companies Galileo and gta and launched last November.

Galileo Leisure allows agents to book car hire in over 7,000 locations, in 1,880 cities, in 57 countries worldwide.

The car content is delivered in a simple interface with only three main categories, enabling agents to book quickly and easily. The system provides automatic selection of the lowest available rate from multiple suppliers.

Gta produces driving tips for all countries where rental is offered, including driving regulations (speed limits, seat belts, parking); details on general road conditions and tolls advice; documentation required; fuel type for each car; plus information on fines and penalties. "

Holiday Autos to distribute via GDS-,--M.

Holiday Autos to distribute via GDS-,--M.: "
Holiday Autos to distribute via GDS

Holiday Autos is to sell via Sabre and Amadeus as part of a new trade business strategy for Europe.

The lastminute.com-owned car rental broker is to go live on both GDSs from the summer, starting with France and the UK, with other European countries following later in the year.

Plans are underway to launch on GDS in other European countries � Italy, Spain, Ireland, Benelux and the Nordics � later in the year.

Germany is the only European country where the company has sold via GDS, with product available on both Sabre and Amadeus.

Group managing director Brian Murphy said: 'This announcement is further evidence of Holiday Autos' commitment to the travel trade as a vital distribution channel and highlights the importance we place on our leisure car business.

'The European roll-out of a trade GDS strategy means our travel partners will have more ways of accessing and booking Holiday Autos cars than ever before.

'As the trend towards dynamic packaging gathers pace this move means agents are able to offer clients a more rounded and flexible service by adding car hire to their flight and accommodation booking without the need to use different systems.

'We look forward to working with Amadeus and our new sister company, Sabre Travel Network, to implement this new business strategy across Europe.' "

Study reveals mixed performance from travel websites-,--M.

Study reveals mixed performance from travel websites-,--M.: "
05 April, 2006

Study reveals mixed performance from travel websites



British Airways has topped a checklist of websites in terms of overall performance and availability by Internet performance authority, Keynote.

In a study of travel brands, BA's website loaded in the fastest time, 0.61 seconds, and, along with Travelodge and Travelocity, was available 99 times out of 100 and received a five-star rating

Travelodge was the second fastest to load, taking just 0.72 seconds, with First Choice third at 1.27 seconds.

But Keynote said some brands in the sector took up to ten seconds to load and were too often unavailable.

Among those to struggle were Travelbag which received a two-star rating after being available 96% of the time.

'In the travel sector there's an enormous amount of choice available online and if a user can't access a company's site, or the site takes too long to load, it may well mean business lost to a competitor,' said Keynote vice president and managing director EMEA Haran Sold.

He added that firms should spend more time evaluating the issues and the impact on customers, something too often overlooked.

'Too many companies fail to monitor website performance from the perspective of the average Internet user, an attitude that could prove costly,' he said. "

Study reveals mixed performance from travel websites-,--M.

Study reveals mixed performance from travel websites-,--M.: "
05 April, 2006

Study reveals mixed performance from travel websites



British Airways has topped a checklist of websites in terms of overall performance and availability by Internet performance authority, Keynote.

In a study of travel brands, BA's website loaded in the fastest time, 0.61 seconds, and, along with Travelodge and Travelocity, was available 99 times out of 100 and received a five-star rating

Travelodge was the second fastest to load, taking just 0.72 seconds, with First Choice third at 1.27 seconds.

But Keynote said some brands in the sector took up to ten seconds to load and were too often unavailable.

Among those to struggle were Travelbag which received a two-star rating after being available 96% of the time.

'In the travel sector there's an enormous amount of choice available online and if a user can't access a company's site, or the site takes too long to load, it may well mean business lost to a competitor,' said Keynote vice president and managing director EMEA Haran Sold.

He added that firms should spend more time evaluating the issues and the impact on customers, something too often overlooked.

'Too many companies fail to monitor website performance from the perspective of the average Internet user, an attitude that could prove costly,' he said. "

TheMoodieReport.com

TheMoodieReport.com: "Alpha Airport Shopping this week gave members of the travel retail industry their first glimpse of the retailer�s new flagship store at Birmingham International Airport Terminal One.

When it retained this key contract last year ahead of intense international competition, Alpha pledged to invest heavily in the Birmingham retail offer. This week it honoured that promise.

Representatives from some of the industry�s best-known brands attended the official trade launch on 30 March. Guests were escorted airside for a full tour of the facilities and the opportunity to see how the �1.4 million (US$2.4 million) invested in the new store has been spent.

The tax and duty free offer in Terminal One has doubled in size � up from 6,000sq ft to 12,000sq ft � and is part of a continuing investment by Birmingham International Airport (BIA) into improving its passenger facilities. Attendees were given a full update on the work being carried out at the airport by Alpha�s Group Commercial Director David King and BIA Managing Director, Richard Heard.

�Since it commenced trading earlier this year, feedback from passengers on the new store has been excellent,� says Heard. �The look and feel of the entire terminal has been transformed and we are now keener than ever to complete the next phase of the airport�s development. This includes the second new Alpha store, due to open imminently in Terminal Two.�

Initial sales figures for the new store have shown substantial increases in a range of key categories, with duty paid spirits sales up more than +30% year-on-year and premium duty free whiskies up by +72% compared with the same period last year. Elsewhere, jewellery sales have seen a �staggering� +127% increase, Alpha said, wh"