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News • July 25 2004

 

Fortina Spa severes ties with Air Malta

The Fortina Spa Resort has been left with a bitter taste of the service dished out by Air Malta’s UK office after a mishap proved to be the end of an important commercial relationship between the hotel and Air Malta UK.
Sliema’s Fortina Spa Resort has decided to shift its winter London Gatwick Airport business to British Airways after it felt aggrieved by the attitude it was shown by the Air Malta UK office when the branch refused to rectify what the hotel management believes to be a communication breakdown at the UK office.
The hotel brought over former Eastenders soap actress Danniella Westbrooke to Malta, tagging along with her a News Of The World journalist and a photographer from OK Magazine, as well as her family.
However, on 16 July, Air Malta UK office manager Dale Keller wrote to the Fortina Spa Resort saying the flight on which Westbrooke was apparently booked, had not been confirmed and was not even operating on the day Westbrooke intended to come to Malta.
According to Fortina sales and marketing manager Cliff Agius, Keller criticised the hotel’s choice of guest when it appeared that no solution was at hand to rectify what the hotel called “neglect” on the part of Air Malta UK.
Agius said that on 12 July the hotel management informed Giovanni Costa at the Air Malta UK office that the Malta Tourism Authority intended paying for the flights for Westbrooke and her entourage, scheduled to arrive in Malta on the 20 July. The hotel booked the flights directly through Air Malta UK, which in turn was expected to forward all Passenger Name Record data for the entourage to MTA for authorisation.
Air Malta and MTA operate an agreement which provides for “substantial and meaningful support” provided every year by the airline to the authority, Air Malta spokesperson John Saliba told MaltaToday, referring to the provision of 1,500 economy class tickets annually at a nominal charge which are used by MTA for promotion purposes.
However, on 16 July, Dale Keller informed the hotel saying that flight KM117, originally presumed to be the booked flight for Westbrooke, was not operating on 20 July. The hotel, contending the booking was made through Air Malta UK, was informed that no confirmations had been received from Giovanni Costa. Keller told the hotel that the flights had not been booked, claiming the booking should have been made through the Malta Tourism Authority’s office in London.
“Fortina Spa Resort buys a substantial amount of seats from Air Malta every month,” director Michael Zammit Tabona said. “We expected a better service from Air Malta and to assist us once a communication breakdown apparently took place from their side. Instead, Dale Keller passed snide and sarcastic remarks about Ms Westbrooke, criticising our guest instead of rectifying the problem.”
Air Malta spokesperson John Saliba told MaltaToday that the procedures concerning the reservation of flights were not followed by MTA and Fortina Spa Resort:
“The actions of Air Malta's offices were consistent with the company’s policy and procedures. Air Malta has always had an excellent partnership with the hotel trade in Malta which includes the rapport with the management of the Fortina. It is therefore with regret that we have come to know of the actions which Fortina Hotel is taking and which is, in our view, are uncalled for as they are inconsistent with the facts.”
Zammit Tabona said the hotel never had this sort of problem with past Air Malta UK regional managers.
Saliba said the company was concerned that Fortina Hotel found fault with the level of service provided both in the UK and in Malta. “However, given the information that is available, we are convinced that the matter was handled in the appropriate manner. “Fortina Hotel and the Air Malta group have over the years established an extremely healthy business relationship based on mutual understanding and respect. It is unfortunate that the hotel management seems to be taking draconian measures based on what could
be deemed miscommunication between themselves and the MTA.”

 

 

 





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