BTN Expert Q&A

Airlines are micromanaging capacity and negotiated hotel rates often aren’t available to travelers. And yet, hotel companies showed surprising improvement in loading rates into global distribution systems by the first quarter. Fidelity Investments vice president of global travel services Patty Snodgrass, Willis Americas... Keep Reading

Regional network OneJet is using smaller, twin-engine jets to connect markets that offer corporate demand but few nonstop options. Over a month in, it connects Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh. OneJet president and CEO Matt Maguire walked BTN transportation editor Michael B. Baker through the business model that will... Keep Reading

Roundtable: Seeing Travel Management From A Multinational Perspective Three multinational travel buyers discussed in a conference call with BTN editorial director David Meyer particulars of global management, including travel management company structures, language barriers and the effects of lo... Keep Reading

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