THE BASICS
Name: Christine Ourmières-Widener
Title: CEO
Company, city: TAP Air Portugal; Lisbon, Portugal
First job: I was a production engineer in a Concorde hangar. I was the only woman in the hangar; while the diversity is getting better and it’s good to see the progress, there’s still a long way to go.
Where to next: The Azores on a personal trip to reconnect with nature
A LITTLE BIT MORE
What actor or actress would play you in a movie of your life?
Juliette Binoche … I relate to her on a personal level.
What would you be doing professionally if you weren’t in your current industry?
I would put all my energy into my passion for the environment and spend more time working on climate change.
What is your favorite book, movie or television show?
I recently read The Most Secret Memory of Men, by Senegalese author Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, after the book won France’s 2021 Goncourt Prize.
What historical figure, dead or alive, would you love to have dinner with?
Queen Elizabeth II
THE BUSINESS
What is your most recent project, and what was the inspiration behind it?
We’ve been working on restructuring our organization since last winter. It’s challenging but exciting, as we increase our efficiencies and build a stronger airline for our customers and employees.
What is your favorite aspect of the job?
The people; this is a complex industry. From pilots to cabin crew to those who work in network pricing and a variety of roles all around the industry, there are so many skill sets and personalities. I work with amazing people.
What’s the biggest business risk you’ve ever taken?
Moving to TAP to make sure the airline was in place to drive the return in travel demand was a risk. But you can manage the risk and handle how you work with your team. The last two years were unusual, but they will set a new standard for risk in the industry.
Who is someone you admire professionally in the travel industry?
Willie Walsh, now the director general of the International Air Transport Association, as he pushes for the future in aviation, and I respect what he is trying to do for the industry.
AS A TRAVELER
Tell us about a travel nightmare: I’ve traveled to some unusual destinations with my job, including unstable countries. I was with a driver/bodyguard one time and I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t let me stop in the local market to buy gifts for my children … until he let me know there was a murder there the day before.
Share a comical travel experience: I’ve spent my entire career in aviation, so I tend to always understand the issues that arise. I’ve only missed one flight in my entire life, and I learned my lesson quickly.
What is your preferred method of travel — planes, trains, automobiles, cruise ships — and why?
While my obvious answer is airplanes, I do have dogs, so my family loves road trips. Each of these travel methods delivers a different experience, and I appreciate them all.
What has been the best example of customer service you’ve experienced during your travels? Any service that is proactive or delivers something before you can even ask
Read This Next
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Jul 26, 2024Accor Unveils Its First Handwritten Collection Brand in the United States
San Francisco, a city renowned for its commercial hubs and cultural sites, will become the first destination in the United States for one of Accor's newest brands, Handwritten Collection. The city’s Hotel Stratford San Francisco, Handwritten Collection is a European-style boutique property located near Union Square on the famous Powell Street cable car line. The area will now have the Handwritten Collection name behind it. The property becomes Accor's third hotel in San Francisco, joining the Fairmont properties atop Nob Hill and at Ghirardelli Square.
Sponsored Content
Share Your Travel Preferences with Global Traveler in a Short Survey & Win
Learning more about our readers’ travel habits and preferences ensures Global Traveler delivers the content you desire. As the travel industry has adapted and changed over the last few years, it’s more important than ever to connect. To best meet your short- and long-term travel content needs, please help us!
Global City Guidebook 2024
Jul 26, 2024Bask in Nature’s Tranquility at The Spa at Four Seasons Tamarindo
When the two of us entered The Spa at Four Seasons Tamarindo, past the backlit boutique items and local artisan-painted wood carvings, the place wrapped us in a feeling of tranquility. Its stone walls, earth tones, woven wall hangings and furniture made of natural materials reminded us we are part of nature’s spectrum, the abundant windows showing native plants and trees outside.
Daily
Jul 26, 20244 Boutique Hotels with Exclusive Wedding Buyout Offerings
Couples looking for an over-the-top wedding, consider one of these properties around the world, offering total property buyouts to say your “I do’s.”
Sponsored Content
Colombia: A Different Kind of Beauty
Colombia’s beauty defies description — it’s that unique, that special, that different — and travelers are taking notice as 2023 marked the country’s best year for tourism, welcoming more than 6 million international travelers. The Country of Beauty looks to continue growing and enhancing its regions and communities in 2024 and beyond.
Airlines
Jul 26, 2024BermudAir Maximizes Choices for Travelers with New Options
BermudAir announced an expanded fare structure, allowing customers to choose from five fare types across economy and business class, up from the previous three options. Travelers can now select fares based on their preferences for lounge access, checked baggage, change fees, refunds and priority boarding.
Discover Hvar, Croatia’s, Best-Kept Secrets
Daily
Jul 25, 2024Daily
Jul 24, 2024SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites Introduces Custom Wine Itineraries
SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites offers guests personalized journeys to Mendoza’s finest wineries from Susana Balbo’s family. Immerse yourself in bespoke wine itineraries recommended by Balbo, Argentina’s first female winemaker; her son and third-generation winemaker, José Lovaglio Balbo; and her daughter, hotelier and wine tourism marketer, Ana Lovaglio Balbo.
Sponsored Content
Exclusive Savings: Cruise Along the Danube River with Global Traveler
Exclusive Sailing with Global Traveler
eFlyer Reviews
Jul 24, 2024Althoff Grand Hotel Schloss Bensberg Review
After a long drive from our previous destination, it was a relief to see Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg in our view. When we pulled into the hotel court, I felt like we were pulling up to a royal palace. Considering the hotel was originally built as a castle for Prince Elector Johann Wilhelm II of Duesseldorf and his wife, Maria-Luisa of the Medici family, my thought wasn’t that far off.
ShareThis