A changing of the guards

There has been a lot of “Hail & Farewell” parties among the travel trade companies – airlines and hotels, specifically. It is always a sad fact to realize that just when you start to know the expat head, there he/she goes to another assignment! I personally don’t like saying goodbye to anyone; au revoir or hasta la vista or “till we meet again” is more my kind of a parting shot.

Over in Hong Kong, they had a changing of the guards last March when CEO Tony Tyler – a silver haired, slimmer version of Kevin Costner! – turned over the reins of Cathay Pacific to his COO, the mild mannered John Slosar. In his last message for CX World newsmag, Mr. Tyler shared: “Of course I am excited about my new job in IATA…But Cathay Pacific has been my life since 1978…I have only seen the first few chapters of the Asian aviation growth story: what’s coming next will continue to drive the progress of our Group. Our financial position is strong…We also have a very strong team. I genuinely believe that our people, and the way we work together, give the Cathay Pacific Group airlines a real advantage over our competitors.”

As Tyler assumed his IATA top position in Geneva last July, CX Executive Chief John Slosar shared his views in CX World. Of his predecessor, he quipped: Tony set several records as Chief Executive – the all-time record for the biggest profit, the all-time record for the biggest loss and the all-time record for the most farewell parties! He was a great CE…I clearly have big shoes to fill.”

Ivan Chu is the new COO supporting Slosar and they make a new team in the CX world. Slosar points out: “(We) will be a different team and undoubtedly we’ll have a look at things. Maybe there will be a few changes, but certainly nothing radical and no change for change’s sake.” (If only our politicians here follow this kind of policy, then our country would have a better chance at redemption!)

Of his priorities in his watch, Slosar admits to a 24/7 focus on what are to be done for the continued success of CX, of attaining the number one position in the airline industry. Slosar puts forth four key things: “the first being to manage the Cathay Pacific brand – brand in the biggest sense of the word, meaning everything that people see or touch or experience related to Cathay Pacific. Every interaction with Cathay is an extension of the brand that creates a feeling in the passenger’s mind. I want each of those interaction to be well thought through and as good as they can be.”

Second on his agenda is making Hong Kong the hub of the CX world. “It’s our home,” Slosar emphasizes. “(Hong Kong) will be the most interesting and dynamic aviation market in the next decade…and anything we can do to make Hong Kong hub the place to come through should be our priority.”

China is #3 on the key points in the Slosar administration. He focuses on the emerging outbound travelers from the Mainland, which he believes will be a gold mine in the travel trade industry.

“My fourth priority,” concludes the new CX Chief Executive, “will be the development of the Cathay team. Service is delivered by people and ultimately it is our people that make the difference.”

Biggest concern is the volatile and ever increasing price of fuel. Of which he tackles head-on: “We’ll have to recover some of the extra cost of fuel through surcharges or on fares because, like any business, we have to charge customers what it costs to provide them with the service they are purchasing. There’s always a danger that higher prices will reduce demand.”

Well, we get what we pay for. It’s a choice we make each time we purchase that plane ticket – before we even pack our bags. Travel safely now!