Back to news | 6th March 2025
From his early career as an aviation broker to his current role managing easyJet series seat sales across Europe, Peter Cox has built his success on understanding the complexities of tour operator needs and airline capabilities.
As Skytrail’s Sales, Commercial Manager since 2016, Peter has been instrumental in expanding the company’s reach across mainland Europe. “I did an economics-based degree with a bias towards the transport industry. That developed my interest in aviation, and my subsequent jobs guided me to the commercial side,” Peter explains.
Before joining Skytrail, Peter had accumulated valuable experience across several charter and scheduled airlines, as well as working as a broker. This diverse background proved instrumental in his current role, where understanding customer operations is paramount.
“One of the key things to being effective is understanding how the customer’s business works and what their aims are,” he says. “My previous experience gave me insight into that and, if I didn’t know, then I knew enough to ask the right questions!”
The move to Skytrail
The opportunity to join Skytrail emerged at a pivotal moment. The company had secured agreement from easyJet to expand their series seat sales business across mainland Europe, presenting an exciting prospect for growth and development.
“Skytrail are the market leader in our sector, and I had worked with most of the team before in other companies,” Peter notes. “The prospect of developing a completely new business was very interesting.”
Building lasting partnerships
Peter’s approach to sales and relationship building is methodical and considered. While some customers find Skytrail through word of mouth or the website, much of the work involves targeted outreach to operators with specific volume requirements or specialist markets such as ski, fly & coach, and escorted tours.
“Regular dialogue means the customers become confident that you are a reliable long-term partner – we very rarely lose them!” Peter emphasises. “It’s important to take the time to meet them in person, either by visiting their offices or meeting at trade shows and events.”
This commitment to relationship building extends to understanding industry dynamics. “Tour operator requirements are constantly evolving, and we need to keep on top of that and understand what the airline competitor activity is. We put a lot of effort into making the whole commercial process as easy as possible. Cumbersome processes are a major reason why trading relationships dwindle.”
Industry evolution
Having witnessed significant changes in the industry, Peter notes how technology has transformed the landscape: “Technology has increased tour operators’ ability to access airline seats without having to commit to allocations or charter their own aircraft. The Covid years accelerated this as businesses moved to de-risk their operating model.”
However, this shift comes with its own challenges. “Whilst not having to commit to allocations seems like a good thing from a business risk point of view, the considerable downside is that a tour operator who goes down this path also has very little security of supply at a workable seat price.”
Looking ahead
Peter’s vision for Skytrail’s future includes becoming sole brokers for other airlines in the easyJet model and increasing activity in the mainland Europe charter market, both in tour operating and ad hoc charters.
When asked about what motivates him, Peter’s response is straightforward: “I want to do well for the company, colleagues and my own self-respect.”
This dedication to excellence extends to his personal interests in fishing, photography, and fitness. “I enjoy almost all aspects of my work so rarely feel the need to ‘unwind’,” he reflects. “I guess I enjoy my hobbies because if I put some thought into them and persist then I can see improving results.”
Connect with Peter on LinkedIn