Opodo has appointed an ex-British Airways Holidays managing director to head its product division.
Sally Balcombe, who has been acting as a consultant to Opodo for the past nine months, has taken the role of product director at the online travel company.
Ms Balcombe has over 20 years experience in travel including roles such as managing director of Specialist Sun Division at TUI’s Specialist Holiday Group and before that managing director of BA Holidays. Prior to those roles Ms Balcombe had an extensive career and BA Holidays and before that worked at Intasun Holidays and Snowtime Limited.
In her new role at Opodo, Ms Balcombe will oversee product strategy, with a view to enhancing and developing the products offered on www.opodo.com. Currently Opodo customers have access to flights with nearly 500 airlines, over 45,000 hotels, 7,000 car hire locations, as well as package holidays, city breaks, lifestyle holidays, and airport parking.
Opodo was launched by nine European airlines – Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, KLM and Lufthansa – but was taken over by Amadeus last year when the GDS bought a 55% controlling stake in Opodo.
Opodo has already been in the news this year with the acquisition of UK longhaul specialist, Quest Travel and French travel company, Karavel.
Report by Ginny McGrath
