BTN Expert Q&A

Teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, Alitalia last year sold a 49 percent stake to Etihad, and now the Italian national airline is back in investment mode—expanding routes, improving its distribution technology and preparing for a complete fleet overhaul. Silvano Cassano, who became CEO at the beginning of this year in... Keep Reading

One of the trailblazers of global travel management and the architect of the follow-the-sun concept of having one agency, one global distribution system, one online booking tool and one credit card, with operations consolidated through international service centers, Bob Feltre recently retired as head of travel procurement... Keep Reading

Swiss private jet service supplier VistaJet this past fall opened its first office in the United States. To lead its U.S. team, VistaJet tapped Ron Silverman, a former executive with competitor NetJets and membership-based private aviation company Wheels Up, which had acted as VistaJet's sales partner in the United States... Keep Reading

Susan Sobbott last year became president of American Express Global Corporate Payments after her predecessor, Bill Glenn, was appointed to serve as president and CEO of American Express Global Business Travel, Sobbott recently spoke with BTN's JoAnn DeLuna about potential corporate payment growth opportunities and life after... Keep Reading

Choice Hotels International rapidly is expanding its portfolio, with 478 hotels opened worldwide in 2014 and another 603 under construction, approved for development or awaiting conversion as of January 2015. Choice COO and executive vice president Patrick Pacious spoke with BTN lodging editor Julie Sickel about Choice's... Keep Reading

Conferma in January appointed Andres Rojas business development director of the Americas, charged with expansion into Latin America. Rojas began his career at BCD Travel, where he was director of technology for 10 years, and most recently spent three years at Concur as director of business development and strategic alliances... Keep Reading

Airbnb’s rapid conquest of the guest accommodation market shows no sign of abating, and that even includes winning the business of corporate travelers, whether their employers know or not. Even so, Airbnb in 2014 launched a strategy to engage with corporate buyers. BTN contributing editor Amon Cohen caught up with the... Keep Reading

Southwest Airlines isn't the only beneficiary of the end of the Wright Amendment, which limited interstate flights from Dallas Love Field. Virgin America also has seized it as an opportunity to boost its network and its share of corporate travel business. John MacLeod, the carrier's senior vice president of planning and... Keep Reading

Sonesta International Hotels Corp. in January named Carlos Flores, a top executive at the company during the past two years, as its new president and CEO, replacing retiring president and CEO Bill Sheehan. Flores steps to the helm of Sonesta at a time of rapid growth, as the company—which has a total portfolio of 55 hotels in... Keep Reading

NH Hotel Group, Europe's third-largest hotel chain, on Feb. 3 announced further expansion with the acquisition of the 20-hotel Hoteles Royal group in Latin America. NH Hotel Group, based in Spain, also announced it disposed of 30 "non-strategic" properties in 2014 but added nine new ones, leaving the company with around 400... Keep Reading