Online firm enjoyed six-fold profit boost
TRAVEL
PRE-tax profits at the Irish arm of online travel firm E-Bookers increased six-fold in 2010 after gross revenues increased by 33pc. Its latest accounts show that the firm recorded the pre-tax profit of €352,518 in 2010, up from €58,608 in 2009.
Virgin to invest in first-class upgrades
AIRLINES
Richard Branson's airline, Virgin Atlantic, is to spend £100m (€120m) improving its first-class cabins. The changes, aimed at improving Virgin's share of the business traveller market, will be rolled out on all of Virgin's Heathrow airport flights over the next three years.
Deadline for award submissions nears
MARKETING
THE deadline for the All Ireland Marketing Awards is this Thursday. There are 16 categories, from 'New Product of the Year' to 'Advertising Campaign Award'. Full details at www.aimawards.ie/enter.asp
Glencore-Xstrata deal nears a close
MERGER
TOP executives at Glencore and Xstrata are hammering out the final details of a proposed $80bn (€61bn) merger, including the premium on offer by the commodities trading giant to secure approval from the miner's shareholders. Sources say the sweetener is likely to be "high single digit to low double digit."
Irish Independent
