Airtours yesterday launched itself into the internet travel wars and warned newcomer rivals such as Lastminute.com that their days could be numbered.
The company said it would to use its £100m e-commerce offensive to prevent the new breed of virtual travel agents, including groups such as e-bookers and Expedia, from making a significant impact.
Chairman David Crossland said: "We are not in the business of helping new entrants trying to establish their business on the back of our investment.
"As far as we are concerned, we are not a supplier to Lastminute.com and the like who cannot offer us anything in return."
He said the group had already established links with the major tour operators and received a commission for selling a rival's holiday via its network of shops. New entrants, however, offered little in the way of compensation, he said.
Mr Crossland said that while the online holiday firms were technologically advanced, Airtours' support structure was superior. "In terms of back office they are 10 years behind us and the major operators," he said.
He suggested that the new internet companies were profiting from the investment in aircraft and resorts made by the traditional bricks and mortar firms.
Airtours' plans centre on Mytravelco which will offer holidays from Airtours and other tour operators and airlines including package deals, cruises, car hire and modular travel, the company said.
Access to the site will be via the internet, new generation mobile phones, digital television, in-flight and on-board entertainment systems, in-room hotel systems and through all Airtours retail shops and hypermarkets.
Mytravelco's current internet site is being developed and upgraded. Technology partners include BT, BroadVision, MediaBridge, Oracle and Sun Microsystems.
The company said it is expanding Late Escapes bargain and last minute offers, currently available via Teletext, to include the world's largest travel leisure travel auction site, www.lateescapes.com. Late Escapes will be re-launched in June 2000.
It is also planning a virtual low cost airline named flycheap.com, to be launched by the end of 2000, created by pooling the seat-only sales of Airtours' European airlines: Airtours International, Premiair and Fly FTi.
