Almost 300 new transport jobs are being created in Swansea by two companies.

The Virgin Atlantic airline is creating more than 200 jobs over the next two years with the opening of a customer service centre.

The company says it plans to open the new centre at Alexandra House in Swansea by September and will start recruiting later this month.

Meanwhile, about 85 jobs are being created by Swansea Drydocks repairing, maintaining and breaking up ships. Read more »

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The pilot who spectacularly landed a crippled U.S. Airways passenger jet in New York’s Hudson River last year is retiring, the airline said on Wednesday.

All 155 passengers and cabin crew aboard Flight 1549 bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, escaped after pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger glided the plane to an emergency landing in the icy river within view of Manhattan skyscrapers.

Sullenberger, 59, was due to fly his last flight on Wednesday with co-pilot Jeff Skiles, who was beside him at the controls during the emergency landing, said the U.S. Airline Pilots Association.

Sullenberger joined U.S. Airways in 1980.

Also retiring was flight attendant Doreen Welsh, who helped guide passengers on the fateful flight to safety. She joined the airline in 1970.

The engines of the Airbus A320 were knocked out when the plane flew into a flock of geese shortly after takeoff from La Guardia Airport on January 15 of last year.

The landing was quickly dubbed “The Miracle on the Hudson.”

Source : Yahoo News

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Whitbread, the Premier Inn and Costa coffee operator, surprised the City today by appointing Andy Harrison from easyJet as its next chief executive.

Mr Harrison, who announced in December that he would be stepping down from the budget airline by the end of June, will succeed Alan Parker, chief executive at Whitbread since June 2004.

The succession will surprise the market which had been heavily tipping Carl Leaver, former international director of Marks & Spencer and a one-time Whitbread executive.

Chris Rogers, the Whitbread finance director, had been cited as the leading internal candidate, while Patrick Dempsey, managing director of its hotels and restaurants division, had also been tipped as an outside chance.

Mr Parker’s retirement, predicted by The Times in January, comes the day before the leisure company issues a full-year trading update that is expected to demonstrate the resilience of the group’s businesses, with trading in the fourth quarter showing signs of recovery.

The sailing enthusiast, who recently bought a new boat to occupy him in his retirement, will step down from the company on his 64th birthday at the end of November.

Mr Harrison, who had also been approached about the chief executive’s position at Ladbrokes, the bookmaker, will join the company at the beginning of September as chief executive designate.

The 52-year-old has been chief executive at easyJet since 2005, having previously spent nine years as chief executive of the RAC motoring group.

He is said to have quit the airline over a protracted row with Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder and 38 per cent shareholder. In 2008, Sir Stelios refused to sign off easyJet’s accounts in a spat with executives that lasted months.

Anthony Habgood, the Whitbread chairman, said: “We conducted a thorough international search and selection process and had a number of high quality candidates. Andy has 14 years proven experience as a successful leader of two significant consumer facing public companies.”

He added: “Whitbread has substantial opportunities for further growth, both in the UK and through developing our international presence. We believe that Andy’s skills and experience are ideally suited to lead Whitbread in taking advantage of these opportunities.”

Mr Habgood also paid tribute to Mr Parker for his “invaluable contribution to the growth and development of Whitbread” during his six years as chief executive.

“Under his leadership Whitbread has grown to become the UK’s leading hospitality company with a strong focus on value for money brands. Andy is joining a company in good health and with excellent prospects for future growth.”

Mr Harrison said: “I am delighted to be joining Whitbread. It is the ideal next step for me. Whitbread has a great history and strong culture with an exciting future ahead.

“Alan and his colleagues have done an outstanding job and I look forward to working with the team to build on their achievements.”

Source : The Times

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