IN A strategic move to
expand its reach and
grow its prominence in
the corporate market, Flight
Specials has rebranded to
XL Flight Specials. The new
brand will cater for small
to medium-sized agencies
looking to join the XL fold.
While Flight Specials has
always been an associate
member of the XL Travel
Group, gm Franz Von
Wielligh says Flight Specials
made a decision to more
closely align itself with
XL Travel to strengthen
its brand internally and
externally.
XL Flight Specials will
also serve as the ‘lowcost’
option for agencies
joining the XL Group.
Franz explains that fully
branded XL agencies have
minimum requirements
for membership, but as a
result of the new agreement,
smaller agencies will
not need to meet these
minimum requirements in
order to access the benefits
of the XL Group. The only
significant difference will be
that these agencies will earn
slightly less in terms of GDS
rebates, he says.
Franz says that Flight
Specials will be very specific
about not targeting larger
agencies, which could
potentially join as fully
fledged members of the XL
Group.
Marco Ciocchetti, ceo
of XL Travel, says Flight
Specials’ decision to
rebrand will add to the XL
Group’s brand proliferation.
Franz says the rebrand
will function as a platform
to strengthen the Flight
Specials brand in the
corporate space and help
expand its footprint in Africa.
“We’ve seen significant
demand for agency
membership in countries like
Mozambique and Zambia
where they are not part of
consortiums. Instead of
competing with the bigger XL
brand in this regard, we can
work closely with it.”
Eventually, the plan is for
XL Flight Specials to set up
head offices in other African
countries as well.
Further plans for growth
include a fully fledged ITC
model that will act as a
centralised ticketing hub for
XL Flight Specials. “What is
particularly nice about this
model is that it will be GDSagnostic,”
Franz says. He
expects the model to launch
within the next six to eight
months.
