Dnata proposes Gold Medal and Travel 2 merger

Following an earlier announcement that it would open a collective consultation with its staff to review a number of proposals, and as part of a group-wide effort to “right size the organisation” for the future, it has been proposed that Gold Medal and Travel 2 combine functions to operate under the single brand entity of Gold Medal, with the sub-brands Pure Luxury, Cruise Plus and Incredible Journeys also retained.

The merger, if accepted following the 45-day consultation process, will see the centralisation of all operational, marketing and management functions in dnata Travel Group’s Leyland office, along with the majority of the sales team (with a number of homeworking roles created in Glasgow).

The proposal would therefore see the Travel 2 office in Glasgow closed.

Lisa McAuley, managing director, said: “We believe that the proposed consolidation will create a number of exciting opportunities for us and our travel agent partners, while reducing costs and complexity. It will mean we retain our market leading position, while enabling us to be more agile and focussed on what we do best.

“The proposal will be given due consideration over the coming weeks and I want to reassure our travel agent and industry partners that our commitment to the trade will remain a cornerstone of the brands, and the unrivalled product portfolio and award-winning service for which we are renowned will stay at the forefront of our future plans.

“Our team has proactively reached out to all our partners today and will continue to keep them updated. In the meantime, things stay as they are and we’ll continue to work with them as we navigate the current disruption and eventual recovery.”

She continued: “The Gold Medal and Travel 2 teams in Leyland and Glasgow have always had a strong bond so this is a difficult day for them. Our priority at this point is supporting those team members who are directly affected by the implications of this proposal. Our people are our greatest assets and it is of the upmost importance to me that we are doing everything possible to assist them through the consultation process, and that it is conducted in a professional and sensitive manner.”