ST. PAUL, Minn. — MLT Vacations will take over the operation of Air France Holidays and Alitalia Vacations in January, the packager announced at its annual MLT University agent education event.
In the U.S. and Canada, MLT will market Air France Holidays and Alitalia Vacations alongside Delta Vacations, said MLT President Ken Pomerantz. (MLT is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta.)
Air France and Alitalia are Delta's partners in the SkyTeam alliance. The SkyTeam relationship makes the co-branding deal a "unique opportunity," Pomerantz said.
Currently, EEFC of Bothell, Wash., is licensed to market and distribute Air France Holidays in the U.S. EEFC's other clients include Europe Express and Brian Moore International Tours.
Air France Holidays offers packages to France, England, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic and Egypt.
Fort Washington, Pa.-based Gate 1 Travel currently operates Alitalia Vacations. Alitalia and Gate 1 Travel teamed up to launch Alitalia Vacations in 2008.
Alitalia Vacations offers packages to Italy, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Israel and Egypt. It also sells European river cruises.
Last month, MLT began operating the vacation divisions of Continental and United solely under the United Vacations brand, as the two airlines continued their integration.