fcm travel flight centre

To our customers, who have let us play a part of their travel memories, and to our people, past and present, who have contributed to the company’s enduring success over the past 40 years, thank you.  Where are we going next?

Space -Flight Centre? Anything's possible. Either way, you can rest assured that whatever the future brings, we’ll be here to take you there. 

"Rise of the boutique brands to complement customer's desires for authentic in-destination experiences. There will also be an increase in demand for tranquil, nature-based getaways."  - Skroo

"Ocean, river and expeditions will grow dramatically in popularity."  - Skroo 

Coach Touring

"This will all be about immersive cultural experiences with small groups."  - Skroo

Air Travel:

"Sydney to London in less than 6 hours. Planes will be powered by liquid Hydrogen processed by renewables."  - Skroo

Captain’s announcement

The future is bright, we’re turning 40, travel is back and we are flooded with new and returning customers ready to turn their travel dreams into a reality again.

Prepare for takeoff

As part of our commitment to living and operating in a more sustainable world, we officially introduce a Flight Centre Global Sustainability Leader role.

In-flight entertainment

Flight Centre launches its new tagline “Experience our experience”. We welcome new Captains and made all of our amazing people official Co-Captains of the brand.

A year on we take out a full page ad thanking our customers for their patience, and support; we know the journey isn't over yet.

International borders shut, airlines ground their fleets, FLT temporarily suspends trading on the ASX and Flight Centre stands down over 15,000 employees. In Australia alone we issued $1billion in customer refunds.

2020 will forever be remembered as “that year”. After facing government-mandated closures of the travel industry, we had to make some of the hardest decisions in our company’s history.

The 20s : The world stops. And re-opens

22,000 people

2,908 shops, au$40 per share, fasten seat belt.

Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, China, reported a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan. A novel coronavirus was eventually identified.

Buffalo Tours Asia and Olympus Tours merge to create Discova. We also announce our 100% acquisition of Ignite Travel Group.

Open new FCTG global headquarters at Southpoint South Brisbane, Australia.

Canada joins USA and Mexico to form FCTG ‘The Americas’. We also start operations in Malaysia and Netherlands. We launch our new online brand Aunty Betty as an online offering for package holidays.

We acquire Topdeck Travel and enter a joint venture with Buffalo Tours. In this same year, we acquire Travelplan Corporate which becomes FCM in Dublin and signals the starts of our operations in Ireland.

Cruising altitude

Marks 20 years of Flight Centre South Africa and Canada. All 10 countries are profitable for the fourth consecutive year.

Flight Centre Australia turns 30 and Flight Centre New Zealand turns 25. Liberty Travel opens a flagship store on Madison Avenue, NYC with all of our FC USA brands under the same roof.

For the first time, all countries we operate in are profitable.

We acquire gapyear.com and Air Services Singapore which becomes FCM Singapore. At the same time, we introduce the Flight Centre Business School to develop the next generation of business leaders.

We officially become the Flight Centre Travel group, reflecting the company’s transformation from its traditional roots as a travel agent to a world-class retailer of leisure and corporate travel products and continue to grow our family of brands, and enter new markets.

The 10s : Profit in all 10 countries and we formally become Flight Centre Travel Group

12,900 people, 2,152 shops, au$17.57 per share.

We launch the Flight Centre Foundation; our give back program to the communities we work, operate and travel in.

Our biggest acquisition to date (AU$135M) – Liberty Travel and GoGo Vacations in the USA at the end of 2007 – coincides with the Global Financial Crisis. We make the bold move to rebrand our tagline to “Unbeatable”.

We launch Flight Centre Travel Money, now known as Travel Money, a foreign exchange business. By 2016 it becomes our second-largest retail brand in FCTG Australia. 

We acquire 51% of Friends Globe Travel in India to start our India Operations under FCM India. We fully acquire this company in 2010.

We acquire 50% of China Comfort Travel and operate it as FCM China, signalling the start of our operations in China. This year also marks the official launch of the FCM Travel Solutions brand – an amalgamation of various corporate brands and businesses acquired over the last few years into a single global brand.

As the travel industry reels with the impacts of the Iraq War and SARS outbreaks, we make a gutsy move with the acquisition of Britannic Travel in the UK, providing our UK corporate operations immediate scale, a strong network of branches and a high-end client base.

We acquire Cruiseabout and Turramurra Travel, Quickbeds, and Internet Travel Group (now known as FCM). In an effort to enter the Hong Kong corporate travel market, we acquire American International Travel Ltd and bring it into our FCM brand.  It works, and we officially start operations in Hong Kong later this year.

9/11 significantly impacts customer confidence. Flight Centre Limited's monthly profit drops from AU$8 million in August to AU$3.7 million in September.

We all know how the 2000s began. The world and travel changed forever with events like 9/11, the collapse of Ansett, the GFC and the Iraq War.  Many other travel businesses contract during these tough times, our strategy on the other hand was to keep expanding, acquire more businesses and enter new markets.

The 00s : 9/11, SARS and Facebook

3,000 people

Au$5.95 per share.

We close out this decade by acquiring Sydney Business Travel (now FCM) and Stage and Screen, and start operations in the USA.   Corporate Traveller launches in the UK with a computer and a cardboard box for a desk.

The first Travel Associates shop opens in Melbourne.

We hold the first Flight Centre Airfare and Holiday Expo at the Brisbane Convention Centre. In our first year, over 8000 customers attend. In 1997, 11,000. In 1998, we open Flight Centre Travel Expos across Australia and New Zealand.

Cruising Altitude

Profit surpasses $10M and Flight Centre goes public on the ASX. Flighties purchase over 25% of shares available and set an Australian record for take-up by in-house people. The share price opened at AU95cents, and closed at AU$1.23.

Flight Centre opens shop in Vancouver, Canada. Phones were ringing off the hook with customers eager to book travel.

Throw a shrimp on the braai, because Flight Centre opens in Johannesburg, South Africa. It breaks even within the first three months.

Flight Centre Corporate starts in Melbourne running as a brand until 1996, when it was rebranded into the Corporate Traveller brand we know today.  In this same year we also enter a joint venture to acquire Infinity, our wholesale business.

The Gulf War. With the demand for international airfares on the decline, Flight Centre begins selling domestic flights. According to Skroo “the Gulf War showed us that certain shops and consultants were war and recession-proof."

The 90s were all about Friends, Seinfeld, Guns n Roses and Flight Centre floating on the Australian Securities Exchange. We open in South Africa, Canada, the USA, and re-launch in the UK. We also welcome a number of new brands into the family.

The 90s : More brands, more countries & we float

The Captain first appears (we’ve had 5 of those, ladies and gents, since!), and we introduce our famous “Lowest Airfares Guaranteed” slogan. Enquiry quadruples after trials on TV and press ads.

We say chur bro to our cousins across the ditch, and Flight Centre starts operations in New Zealand. It’s also the first year we host Global Gathering, an infamous Flight Centre awards event to celebrate our amazing people. It quickly becomes an annual tradition, globally.

Frankie says Relax don’t do it... but we did it anyway and Flight Centre opens in London (making £60,000 profit with six consultants in the first 12 months!)

Flight Centre opens in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Welcome to the 80s. Airlines have been deregulated and Skroo reckons Australia, the UK and NZ are ripe for the picking, which makes sense for a bloke who grew up on an apple farm. Flight Centre is born.

The 80s : Hello UK, NZ and... The Captain.

By the end of the 70s, Top Deck was operating 26 buses and the crew are partying their way around Europe, pretending it’s a proper job.

Fast forward your Sanyo cassette deck to the mid 70s and that one bus has multiplied like guinea pigs. Top Deck is born, operating in London and the following year, in Brisbane, Australia.

Skroo (Graham Turner – our founder) and friend (Geoff “Spy” Lomas) buy a double decker bus and take off on their first tour around Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

The 70s : The facial hair is dodgy and the travellers are even dodgier...

You’re about to take off on a 40-year flight through adventure, fun, success, stuff-ups, tragedy and triumphs. But, most of it all, it’s about surviving the storm, coming through stronger and enjoying the trip. Today, we are one of the world’s largest travel retailers employing 12,000 people globally across a retail network of over 500 customer service centres, 23 businesses, and a corporate travel network spanning more than 100 countries.

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FCM Travel Solutions

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Top level Page Overview

FCM Travel Solutions is FCTG’s flagship global corporate travel business. It is the only global TMC headquartered in Australasia and ranked as one of the world’s top five travel management companies (TMCs).

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FCM manages business travel programs for companies in the mid-to-large client market. The business has a strong global presence due to its unique level of regionalisation, cutting edge technology and highly experienced network of travel professionals. Backed by the global strength of FCTG, FCM combines local expertise and global strength to provide clients with the best possible prices.

FCM was established in June 2004 following the consolidation of FCTG’s various corporate travel businesses into a single global brand. FCm has company owned operations in 14 countries and holds partnership agreements in a further 78 countries.

In 2015, FCM was named Best National Travel Management Company as part of the National Travel Industry Awards for Excellence. FCM Travel Solutions was also named the World's Leading Travel Management Company from 2011 to 2015 at the World Travel Awards.

Your career is not a destination. It's a journey.

The Flight Centre Travel Group is where your career takes off on an epic adventure. We're a close-knit global family of fun-loving explorers, who work in a supportive and diverse atmosphere that allows you to spread your wings and experience new horizons like never before.

Explore current Job Listings

We understand the unique motivations and ambitions of modern professionals. That's why we offer job opportunities that provide enjoyment, flexibility, challenge and the chance to explore new career possibilities and the world at large.

Cities Worldwide

Years In Business

Sales Development Representative

Senior BI Analyst

Web Executive

Travel Consultant

Business Analyst

Foreign Exchange Consultant

After Hours Consultant

Emergency Assist Consultant

Travel Manager

Account Manager

Software Engineer

Business Development Manager

Accounts Payable Officer

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Digital Marketing Executive

HR Generalist

Product Manager

Credit Controller

Technical Lead (Mobile)

Team Leader

Service Desk Analyst

In Destination Experience Host

Cruise Specialist

ICT Support Officer

Content Creator

Global Marketing Director

We believe work should be a place of joy, exploration and growth.

"Working here is so rewarding. I feel supported, connected, seen and we all have a lot of fun doing what we do."

Come as you are

There is only one best way when it comes to supporting our people and it involves recognising and celebrating the many different facets of what makes you “you”. We encourage everyone to come as they are, and we’ll come together as one. Our policies, programs, employee-led resource groups and recruitment strategies all aid us in our commitment to creating a safe, diverse and inclusive work environment for all our employees globally.

The future is bright

Our people are here for a good time and a long time. We believe your career is a journey, not a destination and there are no limits to what your future could hold. All our people are encouraged to find their Brightness of Future and are provided the professional development and mentorship opportunities to help them get there.

Open communication and open plans

Our flat and transparent organisation structure means there are no closed doors (literally). We’ve worked hard to create a culture of collaboration, innovation and inclusion to ensure there is no “us” and “them”. No one has a personal assistant, not even our CEO; our people have direct access to the decision makers and our communication always prioritises two way dialogue.

Fun comes standard

When applying for a job at Flight Centre Travel Group, having fun at work is part of the job description. Our core value of irreverence and culture of reward and recognition ensures fun and enjoyment in the workplace. Our people are proud of where they work and are driven every day by our mission to open up the world for those who want to see.

Find out More

We're one of the most unique and wonderful places to develop your career. Hear first hand stories about what it is like to work with us.

When you join us, you begin a journey that could take you to many amazing places, allowing you to explore different paths. It's a unique opportunity to be the best you can be.

Being part of one of the world's largest travel groups means you have the option To work WITH over 30 different BRANDS, each with their own unique attributes and opportunities.

Flight Centre

Corporate Traveller

Travel Associates

Stage and Screen

Liberty Travel

Travel Money Group

Flight Centre Business Travel

Independent by Flight Centre

Student Universe

FCM Meetings & Events

Travel Partners

Back-Roads Touring

Advance Traders

Join our Talent Community

Meet The Team

John Van Den Heuvel

President of corporate traveler usa.

Ashley Corey

Vp of sales.

Director of Customer Success

Charlene Leiss

Fctg president, americas.

Amanda Vining

Global chief sales & customer officer.

Trevor Brink

Chief product officer.

Chloe Preston

Director of enablement and revenue operations.

Jake Dunkley

Director of commercial finance.

Emese Graham

Diversity, equity, and inclusion manager, americas.

John Morhous

Chief experience officer, corporate americas.

Michelle Degenhardt

Global sustainability officer.

+46 (0) 770 456 480

Business Travel made easy with FCM

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The 5 pillars to save you time and money on business travel

From our leading technology platform Arrivon, developed with our Nordic customers input, to giving you access to exclusive rates and fares plus smart tools and sustainability solutions we've got every aspect of your travel program covered. 

All backed up by experienced and passionate travel experts and 24/7 assistance.

The human touch

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Discover a better way to manage business travel

Our unique service model and innovative technology together with strong supplier collaboration means we can create tailored business travel programs for each customer to drive savings, smarter travel choices and sustainable travel programs. We draw on the heritage of our Australian parent company, Flight Centre Travel Group, to always find a way and combine it with Nordic efficiency for the best of all worlds.

Say hello to the smartest technology in town

We're not just saying that because it's our own platform. Our customers have been involved in the development of Arrivon to ensure it is does everything you need, in the easiest and simplest way. And while travel was on hold for many people, we have been working hard to make Arrivon even smarter to assist you in the new Covid-normal.

In one place you can book trains, flights and hotels. Making a booking at Arrivon is easy, and takes only 2-3 minutes on average

Arrivon puts you in control, so you can book the way that suits you – your way!

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Get travel updates from around the globe

The corporate travel world moves fast nowadays. Stay up to date with all the latest news and useful information at your fingertips.

Meetings, Events and Group Travel

Welcome to a new world which includes virtual, hybrid and in-person meetings and events. Our team of specialists can help you arrange all types of group travel, conferences, kick-offs and customer events. Let us take care of your next event safely, sustainably and cost-effectively.

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Local experts

When you call us, you are connected directly to your local customer service team, so you can always talk to a real person. Since we are locally based with offices in all the Nordic capitals, and have a team dedicated to your particular company, we have a very good understanding of your unique business needs. Our Covid Centre keeps you on top of the latest changes to borders and travel so you can plan for safe and easy travel.

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Corporate Directory

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Board of Directors

The Board of Directors' primary purpose is to provide oversight and direction for FCTG’s executive team. The board is responsible for setting the rover strategic direction, approving important decisions and providing guidance to the business. The board also ensures the FCTG is operating responsibly and ethically while fulfilling legal and financial obligations.

Graham Turner, Chief Executive Officer, appointed to FCTG board 1995. Graham “Skroo” Turner worked as a vet in western Victoria before moving to London. In London, he and friend Geoff “Spy” Lomas, both of whom were working as vets, took their first steps into the travel industry in 1973 when they invested the equivalent of $A1300 in an ageing bus and started operating budget double-decker bus trips around Europe, North Africa and Asia. Skroo’s initial involvement with Top Deck ended in the mid 1980s, when he and his colleagues sold the business to management and devoted their full attention to Flight Centre, a business that had less than 30 shops at that time. As the long serving chief executive officer and managing director of the public company that grew from the small band of Flight Centre shops, Skroo has since presided over a golden era of growth and prosperity for Flight Centre Travel Group Limited.

Robert Baker was appointed as a non-executive director on 20 September 2013. His other positions with FCTG are Audit & Risk Committee Chairman and Remuneration & Nomination Committee member. Rob was formerly an audit partner of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, with experience in the retail, travel and hospitality sectors. Rob holds numerous positions outside of FCTG which include Chairman of Goodman Private Wealth Ltd since October 2014, Chairman of Archdiocesan Development Fund, Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane since January 2018, Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee of Australian Catholic University Limited since May 2015, and, Chairman of RightCrowd Limited since August 2017.

John Eales was appointed by the FCTG Board in 2012 as non-executive Director, and is chairman of the Remuneration & Nomination Committee, and also a member of the Audit & Risk Committee. After retiring from rugby in 2001, John has served in executive or advisory positions with a number of companies and organisations. John co-founded the Mettle Group in 2003 – a corporate consultancy which was acquired by Chandler Macleod in 2007 and was a director of QM Technologies in the lead-up to its IPO in 2007 and its subsequent acquisition by Computershare in 2009. Currently, John sits on the Magellan Financial Group, Executive Health Solutions and FUJIFILM Data Management Solutions Pty Ltd boards. In addition, he is an occasional lecturer at Sydney’s University of Notre Dame and continues to consult to other major Australian and international companies in the field of leadership, people and corporate culture. John is a columnist with The Australian Newspaper in the fields of both sport and business and the author of two books, Learning From Legends Sports and Learning From Legends Business.

Colette was appointed as a non-executive director on 7 February 2018. Colette has a 40-year career in retail, marketing and distribution. She has served as a director and advisory board member for both Not-For-Profit enterprises and government boards. Having held senior roles at David Jones, Pacific Brands and Premier Investments, Colette has played a key role in Australian retail industry using her deep brand, consumer insights, digital and marketing experience to develop strategy and grow businesses. She has served both on the advisory board of Australian Fashion Week and the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Additionally, Colette has used her unique consumer insights to advise CSIRO, The Federal Innovation Council and the business advisory boards of various Federal Trade and Investment Ministers. Colette is now a non-executive director of FCTG and also serves on the boards of a number of public companies.

Kirsty Rankin was appointed to the FCTG Board on 25 August 2022. Kirsty is an entrepreneur & former CEO with global experience in data-driven insights, digital transformation, loyalty programs, customer engagement & new product development across multiple industries, organisations & geographies. Kirsty was CEO of Pinpoint Pty Ltd, an organisation that specialised in cultivating customer loyalty and engagement programs, prior to its sale to Mastercard in 2014 & subsequently a global executive with Mastercard in the USA. She is also a non-executive director of Azupay (privately-owned real-time payments platform), Stone & Chalk (leading innovation start-up & scale-up hub) & Skyfii, an ASX-listed omni-data intelligence company. Kirsty has vast experience in developing capacity in data-driven customer insights, managing digital transformation and developing and implementing customer loyalty programs. Kirsty is also a member of FLT’s Remuneration and nomination committee, and the Audit and risk committee.

Gary Smith, non-executive Chairman, appointed to FCTG board 2007. Gary has extensive tourism industry experience and has served on a diverse range of boards and tourism industry related bodies during the past 30 years. Gary is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He is a director of Michael Hill International Limited and National Roads and Motorists Association Limited, trading as NRMA.

Graham Turner, appointed to the FCTG board in 1995, started his career as a vet before entering the travel industry by investing in a budget double-decker bus travel company in 1973 with a friend in London. He later sold this business and focused on developing Flight Centre from a small chain into a major public company.

Robert Baker, appointed as a non-executive director in 2013, formerly an audit partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He holds positions in various organizations, including Chairman of Goodman Private Wealth Ltd and other committees.

John Eales, appointed in 2012, is a former rugby player and co-founder of the Mettle Group, later acquired by Chandler Macleod. He holds several board positions and is involved in leadership consulting. He also writes for The Australian Newspaper and has authored two books.

Appointed in 2018, Colette Garnsey has had a 40-year career in retail, marketing, and distribution, holding senior roles at notable retail firms and advisory positions on government and non-profit boards.

Kirsty Rankin, appointed in 2022, is an entrepreneur with experience in customer loyalty programs and digital transformation. She has held CEO roles, including at Pinpoint Pty Ltd, and is a non-executive director at several organizations.

Gary Smith has been the non-executive Chairman since 2007, with extensive experience in the tourism industry and various directorial positions in related organizations.

Senior Executive Team (Taskforce)

Taskforce are responsible for implementing the strategic direction of the company. The team consists of senior-level executives representing each pillar of FCTG including Leisure, Corporate and Supply. Responsible for driving growth and profitability, managing risk and executing long-term plans to the FCTG’s success and sustainability over time.

Adam Campbell became Flight Centre Travel Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in August 2015, after previously serving for a number of years as the company's Australian CFO. Since his appointment, Adam has worked closely with Global Managing Director and CEO Graham "Skroo" Turner, the Board and other members of the global taskforce to spearhead a number of key business initiatives. During this time, Adam has also overseen a period of significant cultural and environmental change both within the finance community and beyond. Adam is passionate about the commercial and strategic role of finance, the importance of robust governance and risk frameworks and the need to constantly reinvent yourself as a company, a function and an individual.

Chris Galanty began his career in Flight Centre’s Putney store as a Consultant. That was 1997, during its start-up phase when the company had under 10 shops in the UK, around 20 staff. Since then, Chris has progressed through the company working as a Store Manager then subsequently as an Area Manager and General Manager. In 2004, he was appointed Managing Director of Leisure and in 2007 Managing Director of Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) UK. In 2009, Chris also took on responsibility for FCTG Limited's South Africa market. Then in 2016, Chris was appointed as the Managing Director Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), which encompasses nine brands with a collective turnover of £2.2bn and employs over 3200 people. Today, Chris is a key member of FCTG’s global executive leadership team in his current role as the Chief Executive Officer of Corporate and is responsible for FCTG’s growth in the corporate travel sector globally.

James Kavanagh began his travel career as a consultant in Dublin in 1997 at Corporate Travel Partners (now FCM) after completing the IATA/UFTAA advanced diploma in Travel & Tourism. He went on to spend a number of years at Carlson Wagonlit Travel in operations and account management and also lectured the Travel & Tourism diploma at college in Ireland. In 2004, he joined the Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) and rapidly progressed his career through roles in account management to Operations Leader, and in 2009 he became the General Manager of FCTG’s corporate division Queensland. In 2013 he became the National General Manager of FCM Travel Solutions and he went on to become the Executive General Manager of FCTG’s corporate brands (FCM Travel Solutions, Corporate Traveller, Stage and Screen and cievents) in 2018. During this time the corporate business grew to become the largest TMC in Australia winning many accolades. During the 2022 fiscal year, James was appointed CEO of the global leisure business.

Charlene Leiss joined Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) during the Boston-based Garber’s Travel Service acquisition by FCM Travel Solutions in 2007. During her time at Garber’s Travel Service and later FCM Travel Solutions, Charlene headed up the FCM’s Travel Manage Services (TMS) as Vice President Sales. As a highly successful business leader, Charlene was appointed to President for corporate brands USA in 2015. Charlene is now the Managing Director for FCTG United States of America and key member of FCTG’s global executive leadership team.

Steve Norris began his career with Flight Centre as Store Manager in 2002. Since then, he has progressed from Store Manager to heading up land product. In an upward trajectory, Steve became the UK Marketing Director in 2007, General Manager of Flight Centre Brand UK in 2009 and then Managing Director of Corporate in 2011 for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Steve is now the Managing Director for Flight Centre Travel Group EMEA and a key member of FCTG’s global executive leadership team.

Graham Turner, CEO since 1995, began his journey in the travel industry after a career as a vet, co-founding a budget travel operation in Europe, North Africa, and Asia with a converted bus. This venture evolved into the Flight Centre Travel Group. Turner's leadership has seen the company expand from a small chain to a major public entity.

Adam Campbell joined FCTG as Chief Financial Officer in August 2015, previously serving as Australian CFO. His tenure has been marked by significant strategic and financial initiatives, alongside a period of cultural and environmental shifts within the company. Campbell is committed to the evolving role of finance in corporate governance and innovation.

Starting his career in 1997 at Corporate Travel Partners, James Kavanagh moved to Flight Centre Travel Group, where he advanced from account management to becoming the General Manager of FCTG’s corporate division in Queensland by 2009. Later, he led FCTG's corporate brands and was appointed CEO of the global leisure business in 2022, contributing significantly to its growth.

Chris Galanty began at Flight Centre in 1997 as a Consultant and climbed up the ranks to become the CEO for Corporate. Overseeing operations across Europe, Middle East, and Africa, he now plays a crucial role in the global executive leadership, focusing on the corporate travel sector.

Greg has worked for Flight Centre Travel Group for more than 20 years in the company's air, product and supply businesses. Greg was announced CEO of Supply in January 2023.

Charlene Leiss, with FCTG since the acquisition of Garber’s Travel Service by FCM Travel Solutions in 2007, has held various leadership roles, most notably as President for corporate brands USA. Currently, she is the Managing Director for FCTG in the United States, overseeing the strategic direction in the Americas.

Steve Norris's career with Flight Centre began as a Store Manager in 2002. His career trajectory has included roles such as UK Marketing Director and General Manager, progressing to Managing Director of Corporate for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Norris is a key figure in FCTG’s leadership, focusing on market expansion and operational leadership across diverse regions.

Bertrand is the Managing Director for the Flight Centre Travel Group in Asia, after being in the role of General Manager for FCM Asia since 2015. Bertrand started his career in the telecom industry in Europe working for Orange and then moved to the aeronautical giant Airbus to lead the sales and marketing department of their IT division. He held multiple global management roles within Amadeus, an IT leader of the travel industry before joining FCM.

Lincoln joined Flight Centre Travel Group in March 2023. Lincoln's career spans more than 25 years, with roles at large multinational resources companies such as BHP, South32 and Thiess. More recently, Lincoln has worked with Virgin Australia and Uniting Care Queensland.

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FCM Travel Business Trip Sales Rise Everywhere — Except Asia

Matthew Parsons , Skift

February 22nd, 2023 at 8:15 AM EST

China's recovery is key for the corporate travel agency in many ways, but it all depends on how many businesses are ready to head back there.

Matthew Parsons

FCM Travel, Flight Centre’s principal corporate-focused agency, is gaining from the business travel pick-up in every part of the world — apart from Asia. As a whole, the Australian group only managed to break even in the region, according to its 2023 first-half results , when taking into account business and leisure sales .

Profitability is also trailing revenue, compared to how the group’s business division, which also includes Corporate Traveller, operated in 2019 because of investments it’s made to win business off its larger rivals.

FCM Travel now brands itself as “the alternative to the traditional mega travel management companies,” which include American Express Global Business Travel, CWT and BCD Travel.

While FCM Travel’s volumes reached 95 percent of pre-Covid levels globally during the six months to Dec. 31, 2022, it was adversely impacted by slower volume recovery in Asia following extended closures

“Asia was the last region to open up for us, and even up until December it was really suppressed,” said Chris Galanty, global CEO, Flight Centre Corporate, during an earnings call on Tuesday.

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The division’s results were also impacted by its strategy to win new clients, and invest in preparing for that extra buisness. “We’ve also concentrated on our people, prioritizing recruitment, training, and development so we’re fully equipped to help clients navigate and minimize frictions in a more complex travel environment,” the company said in a statement .

When quizzed by analysts over trailing profits, Galanty said the two brands made the decision to not maximize short-term profitability. “We’ve invested a lot of money bringing back the business, to make sure we grow. We’ve made sure we invest to grow, to take market share. We have borne the cost of that this year,” he said.

The company will be focusing on recruitment, training and development to service increasing demand in a more complex travel environment. Rival agency Corporate Travel Management  also heavily invested in building back up its teams, and the ​​Brisbane-based agency reported an almost $6 million one-off expense for “excess staff capacity.”

New business wins were therefore not appearing in its results. “In the second half, we expect to benefit from further stability in global airline capacity and fares, coupled with strengthening of our regional performance, particularly in Asia where travel has recently resumed in markets like China,” it added.

Flight Centre’s corporate division recorded $3.41 billion in total transaction value in the six months to Dec. 31, 2022. It posted $54.6 million in underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (or EBITDA).

First-half revenue recovered to 88 percent of pre-Covid levels, with transactions back to 90 percent and total transaction volume reaching 103 percent. It predicts total transaction volume for its corporate business will amount to $6.83 billion during the full year.

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Tags: asia , australia , business travel , china , corporate travel , ctm , fcm , flight centre , travel management companies

Photo credit: FCM Travel's volumes reached 95 percent of pre-Covid levels globally during the six months to Dec. 31, 2022. Danilo / Bueno Pixabay

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The Most Beautiful Stations on the Moscow Metro

You might have heard that there are some beautiful metro stations in Moscow. Soviet decorations, chandeliers, mosaic painting and statues are common in many of the stations. The good news is that the Moscow Metro does not cost a lot of money and many of the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro are on the same line, so you can almost get on and off at each station to visit these. Over the New Year holidays, I had a free afternoon and decided to visit some of these stations. Check out what I found below…..

The main stations that you will want to visit are on the Number 5 line, also known as the Circle Line. An advantage of this line is that you can get to it very easily and quickly no matter where you are in Moscow. The announcements on the metro are in Russian as well as English so you don’t need to worry if your Russian language skills are not good.

If, like me, you arrive in Moscow via train from Kyiv , then you will arrive at a metro station which many Muscovites believe to be the most beautiful of them all…..

Kievskaya metro station was opened in 1954 and features white marble walls which curve upwards and have with large mosaics surrounded by a gold trim in a very classical style. The mosaics depict life in Ukraine and was designed by a Ukrainian who wanted to display Ukraine’s influence and contribution to Soviet Russia.

Kievskaya, one of the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro

Soviet era artwork between the arches

Mosaic with golden trim

People carrying flags is a common theme

Going into battle

Belorusskaya

If you look at a map of the metro , you will want to go in a clockwise direction on the circle line. So you will want to get on the train going in the Barrikadnaya direction and not Park Kultury. Stay on this line until you reach the 2nd station, Belorusskaya. This station was built in 1952 and like Kievskaya also features white marble pylons and a plaster ceiling.

The ceiling features 12 mosaics in an octagonal shape depicting Belarusian life, while the tiling on the floor is said to resemble a Belarusian quilt. One of the passageway exits of the station has a statue called ‘Belarusian Partisans’ of three men wearing long coats, holding guns and carrying a flag.”

Belorusskaya metro platform

Soviet artwork on the roof

The hammer and sickle features prominently in the metro artwork

Three men carrying guns, holding the flag…

Mayakovskaya

To get to the next station, we need to change onto the green line (line 2) and go just one stop to the station of Mayakovskaya. This station has an art deco theme and, for some, resembles an elaborate ballroom. The columns are faced with stainless steel and pink rhodonite while the marble walls and ceiling have 34 mosaics with the theme “24-hour Soviet Sky. Apparently, Stalin resided here during the 2nd World War as the station was used as a command post for Moscow’s anti-aircraft regiment.

Mayakovskaya metro

24-Hour Soviet Sky mosaic

Bomber planes

It looks like planes flying over Red Square

Novoslobodskaya

It’s time to get back on the metro and return to Belorusskaya. At Belorusskaya, change to the circle line again and continue clockwise to the next station, Novoslobodskaya. With its 32 stained glass panels, this station reminds me of a church. The panels were designed by Latvian artists and are surrounded by a brass border.

Novoslobodskaya metro

The platform of Novoslobodskaya metro

Stained glass artwork

The golden trim around artwork is also very common

Prospekt Mira

Back on the metro and again just one stop until our next station, Prospekt Mira. This station was originally called Botanichesky Sad after the nearby Botanical Gardens of the Moscow State University. The pylons are covered in white marble and decorated with floral bas-relief friezes. The ceiling is decorated with casts and several cylindrical chandeliers.

Prospekt Mira metro station

Notice the floral decoration

Komsomolskaya

On the metro once more and once more we are going just one stop to the next station – Komsomolskaya. This station is famous for its its yellow ceiling. The chandeliers in this station are huge. The photos below do not do this station justice.  For me, this station resembles a presidential palace.  You hace to see it for yourself to truly appreciate it.

Because of it’s location, this is one of the busiest stations in the Moscow metro as it serves three of the main train stations in the city – Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky, and Kazansky so be prepared for a lot of people.

Komsomolskaya metro

The yellow ceiling seems to go on forever

Yellow ceiling and artwork

One of the ceiling mosaics

Elektrozavodskaya

When you are ready to leave Komsomolskaya metro station behind, then get back on the circle line and go one stop to Kurskaya and change to the blue line (line 3) and go to two stops to the Elektrozavodskaya station. This station gets it’s name from a nearby electric light bulb factory and has a somewhat industrial but also futuristic style, with 6 rows of circular lamps (there are 318 lamps in total). I think this is one of the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro for how unique it is. The station was opened in 1944 after a delay because of the 2nd World War and features 12 marble bas-reliefs of the struggle on the home front during the war.

The Komsomolskaya metro station

The struggles of war at home

Fixing machinery

Hard at work

Making weapons

Building a tank

Even the station sign is elaborate

Ploschad Revolyutsii

Back on the metro line 3 (but in the other direction), getting off at the 3rd stop – Ploschad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). This is located underneath the square in Moscow of the same name and is a short walk from Red Square in the city centre. It is the perfect place to end a visit around Moscow’s metro. The station features red and yellow marble arches with a total of 76 sculptures in between each arch. The sculptures are supposed to represent the people of the Soviet Union and include soldiers, farmers, industrial workers, children etc… I noticed a lot of people touching the golden chicken in the photo below as well as the show of the woman. I am assuming that this is for good luck.

Industrial worker

Touch the chicken for good luck

Sculpture of the people of the Soviet Union

Woman reading a book – touch the shoe for good luck

In education

Parent and child

These are some of what I think are the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro. Which ones are your favourite? Would you add any to this list?

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19 comments.

Kievskaya definitely caught me off guard. Didn’t know Moscow metro stations were THIS extravagant! Mayakovskaya is gorgeous too with the marble walls and mosaics. I might just need to book a flight over to admire all of these!

Do it! Kievskaya was my first introduction to the Moscow metro as I got an overnight train from Kyiv.

You know, in the States, all we ever hear is bad stuff about Russia. It’s nice to see other (and lovely!) dimensions of such a controversial place.

It’s the same in the UK which is why I prefer going to see somewhere and making up my own mind. It’s all ‘politics and bullshit’ as I say

I went to Moscow about 13years for Christmas and went to train stations, so I can see these amazing mosaics and chandeliers. I agree with you that are beautiful Stations for sure and I could of wandered around for days. I think Kievskaya is definitely my favourite out of them all and I even have some similar pictures as you.

I imagine Moscow would have been a little different 13 years ago but these stations have probably always looked beautiful

Food and Footprints

You chose some great stations for this write up! Beautiful details in these stations and would love to visit them sometime. Particularly like the Komsomolskaya station with that yellow ceiling!

Thank you very much. Komsomolskaya seems to be a lot of peoples favourite stations too

Sumit Surai

Wow! Without the text I would have thought them to be some museum or gallery.

I know exactly what you mean!

Rosie Fluskey

Wow, it is just stunning! How does anyone get to work with so much to look at. I’m surprised at the very bourgeois-looking Komsomolskaya station. I would have thought it was all too Tzarist looking, but then I haven’t been to Russia yet lol. This has just made me want to go more!

Wow, that’s a lot of artwork. I wonder how old some of these pieces are?

Generally most of the stations are from 1940-1960 approximately. The later stations are more functional than style.

My mother-in-law was in Moscow fifty years ago and still raves about the metro stations. So far, I could not imagine much. But now! The pictures are great and I think it’s almost a pity that this splendor is underground. But for every user of the Metro can enjoy a free trip to the world of art. Susanne

True. It is like having a free trip to an art museum/gallery. I hope that you can one day visit Moscow and see for yourself.

Oh wow, I would never have known that these were metro stations. The ceilings remind me of how you need to look up sometimes, even in the commuter rush!

It is true about life in general, we just go from A to B looking directly in front of us instead of around us

Wow, I would have never guessed that these were stations. The decor is so pretty and not one I’m used to seeing at metro stations. Love the ceiling at The Komsomolskaya metro station.

They certainly don’t look like metro stations. The ceiling there is one of my favourites too!

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

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Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission