Traffic & sales clipper, Vol. 9, No. 22, March 1951

              Traffic & Sales
NEW YORK 17, N. Y.
An aggressive sales campaign in Latin America, was planned at the annual LAD sales meeting held in Miami Beach, February 7 through 9. Shown at the meeting are: (left to right) Enrique Morales, Advertising Manager; Aerovias Nacionales de Colombia (Avianca), Bogota; Herbert Wild, General Traffic Manager; Aerovias Nacionales de Colombia (Avianca), Bogota; Jose F. Rojas, Public Relations Manager; Compania Mexicana de Aviación (CMA), and PAA’s Public Relations representative in Mexico; Jose Patino, passenger Traffic Manager, Compania Mexicana de Aviación (CMA); Vice President Willis G. Lipscomb, Porter Norris, LAD, Traffic/ Sales Manager; Gustavo Araoz, Traffic Manager, Compania Cubana de Aviación (Cubana), Havana; Oscar Bustillo, Assistant Traffic Manager, Cubana; and Edward G. Bern, Sales Manager, Panagra.
Greatest Summer Season for Tourists
In PAA History Seen on All Routes
Record Winter Trend All Signs Point to Big Atlantic Is Optimistic
VOL. 9 NO. 22________________„
High Goals Are Set At LAD Sales Meeting To Make '51 Big Year
A far-reaching program to make 1951 a banner year was outlined by LAD officials at the Annual Sales and Advertising meeting February 7, 8 and 9 in Miami Beach.
Goals for the year were announced as an average 60 per cent load factor on all passenger Clipper flights, and 29,263,000 ton-miles of Clipper Cargo.
To help attain these objectives, the Division will have the assistance of J. Walter Thompson.
Vice President Willis G. Lipscomb told PAA and affiliate District Traffic and Sales Managers that “we expect to continue service this year all over the world.”
“But in case conditions deteriorate in Europe and Asia, we are prepared to make an all-out effort to push Latin American travel,” he said. “We are now evaluating hotel facilities and PAA guest houses in the area to find out our maximum tourist potential.”
The officials were welcomed by Humphrey W. Toomey, Division Manager, who urged increased courtesy and service to every passenger (Continued on Page 2, Col. 4)
To Continue, LAD Says
LAD officials are anticipating one of the greatest tourist movements in history to Latin America this summer.
Their optimism is based on the proven principle that—barring an unforeseen crisis—the winter travel trend in Latin America continues through the summer.
And the present winter season is one of the best in years, with tourist records being broken at many resorts—especially Jamaica and Nassau.
An air trip is appealing to the thrifty since it is one commodity that, instead of constantly rising in price, is actually less expensive than before World War II.
PAA is encouraging increased tourism to Latin America in many ways. This summer it plans to widen tour construction fares to include additional areas and provide a means for travel agents to offer all-expense package travel bargains.
With one exception, these tours have applied only to Latin American trips. The exception was a tour-basing fare from Latin America to Miami Beach, experimently inaugurated by PAA late last summer. Although available for only a short time, 700 Latins took advantage of the opportunity to vacation at a (Continued on Page 4, Col. 1)
Increase, PAD States
All signs point to a decided increase in Pacific travel this summer, according to Herbert F. Milley, Division Traffic/Sales Manager.
Milley expects Hawaii, Alaska, and to some extent Japan, to be tourist magnets during the vacation months.
Travelers to Hawaii via PAA during the first two months of this year have exceeded the volume of the same two months in 1950. Similarly there will be an increase in summer visitors to the islands of 10 to 15 per cent, Milley predicted.
He pointed out that the distance in miles to Hawaii doesn’t count much any more with 300 mph “Strato” Clippers flying the route in nine and a quarter hours.
Unsettled conditions elsewhere in the world have no more effect on Hawaii than on the mainland and Hawaii, connected by telephone and frequent Clipper flights to the Mainland, is almost part of it so far as the summer visitor is concerned.
Hawaii had a boom tourist year during 1950 with a total of 57,000 visitors pouring into the islands to sample beach life and Polynesian charm. The Hawaii visitors bureau said “This was the biggest year so far in the territory’s fastest growing industry.” The bureau has raised (Continued on Page 4, Col. 2)
As Bookings Boom
Optimism is the word in the Atlantic Division and the facts and figures show that division traffic and sales personnel have good reason to be optimistic about spring and summer travel to Europe.
Continuing the trend started at the first of the year transatlantic passengers carried by PAA for February, 1951, increased to 4,639 over the 3,115 carried in the same month last year.
March bookings now stand at 2,803 as against 1,926 for March of last year. The 2,803 figure represents a record in bookings for March and if the trend continues reservations officials expect that March 1951 may even surpass the summer months of last year.
Advance bookings for the late Spring and Summer also indicate that transatlantic travel may be even greater this year than last. Although it is difficult to obtain a true picture of advance bookings at this time spot checks indicate that 1951 may be a record year.
PAA figures have shown that there never has been any great decrease in travel because of the international situation. Some months ago, however, some travel sources were pessimistic about European travel. These same sources now report that (Continued on Page 4, Col. 3)
_____________________MARCH, 1951
Improved Service To Passengers Gets Priority in Divisions
Improved passenger service throughout the system with the qb-jective of maintaining PAA’s position as the service leader in the industry has been implemented with extensive programs in all three divisions.
Using the slogan, “The Passenger is the Number One Salesman,” as a keynote, the Atlantic Division is concentrating on passenger service in flight.
Pursers and stewardesses, who have more actual contact with passengers than any other group of employees, have been asked to make reports on passenger service aloft.
These reports are carefully reviewed each month and a summary drawn up together with notations on what action has been taken or reasons why no action is feasible.
Although the program has been in operation only a month the following tangible results already have been attained in answer to passenger requests and comments as presented in the flight service crews’ reports:
Captains now give detailed reports of the progress of a flight over the public address system. The procedure for handling seat charts has been improved so that passengers wherever possible are given their choice of seats. Liquor needs have been reviewed and provisioning has been changed to more nearly fit the demand. New game kits have been issued to all pursers.
Vice President Harold R. Harris said that this was only the beginning of a far-reaching program which will touch all phases of passenger handling both aloft and on the ground.
LAD also is brushing up on the techniques that have won it a worldwide reputation among the travel-wise.
New Traffic Manual
A new traffic manual is being prepared that impresses upon every employee—from top executives to janitors and porters—that the Clipper passenger and shipper is the boss.
This was the theme of the sales and advertising meeting in Miami at which officials agreed that the Company’s service was the most effective means of combating the keen airline competition in Latin America.
The importance of passenger service is being brought home to the rank and file by a series of meetings at key stations in the division. Service is part of the sales training program held in connection with sales contests, and regional Clipper cargo meetings develop ways whereby PAA can serve shippers more efficiently.
Clean-up Campaign
Station managers are attending sector meetings to be briefed on the better service drive, and a paint-up, clean-up campaign is under way for terminals and equipment.
Each station manager is being required to visualize any emergencies (Continued on Page 3, Col. 3)