Kalpana Penfold worked in Inflight Services for Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong, and as a trainer conducting in-house CRM courses for combined flight deck and cabin crew.

Moving to the UK in 1999, Kalpana took on the role of airline Crew Manager at Le Meridien Hotel at London Heathrow, where she managed both the overall service delivery to the in-house crews and the external airline relationships for the hotel.

Kalpana then joined Six Continents Hotels as the Global Airline Account Manager; more recently fulfilling this role for InterContinental Hotels Group.

Kalpana brings her real life experience of airline life to HFA’s clients, together with a successful sales track record in hotel sales to airlines.

Martin began his hotel career in 1973 working for Grand Metropolitan Hotels. After four years in hotel operations in London and Paris, he joined the Travel Trade sales team at head office, managing the UK Inbound Leisure business.

With the acquisition of Inter-Continental Forum Hotels, Martin joined the Forum Hotels sales team to specialise in handling Middle East inbound business across Europe, and also spent a year at the Amra Forum Hotel in Amman, Jordan as Area Sales Manager.

In 1988 Martin joined Hilton International as Director of Sales, Conferences and Incentives, and in 1990 took the role of Director of Airline Sales responsible for managing Global Crew Contracting for the Hilton Group worldwide.

Martin is well respected across the airline hotels market, and brings a broad experience of shaping individual deals for airlines, irrespective of size.

Tim is HFA’s North American Associate. Based in Toronto for more than 20 years, he has significant direct experience in the airline, travel and hospitality industry both in North America and Europe.

Tim has worked for several major organizations within the industry and, most recently, was Director of Leisure and Airline Sales for Hilton in Canada where he successfully negotiated airline contracts for major North American and International carriers. Prior to joining Hilton, Tim headed the regional office in Toronto for InterContinental Hotels.

Born in the UK, Tim’s early career started with Grand Metropolitan Hotels in London, and the Forum Hotels division of InterContinental Hotels, where he gained significant international experience and travelled extensively in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Scandinavia, Finland and Iceland.

Tim holds a final diploma in hospitality management from the Ecole Hoteliere in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is fluently bilingual in English and French and also has good comprehension and speaking skills in German.

Allan Jones started his airline career in 1954, and spent twenty-five years in the industry with BEA, Pan Am, TWA & Saudia during a career which included negotiating accommodation contracts.

In 1981, Allan joined Trust House Forte in London to establish an Airline Sales function, and subsequently spent twenty years as Director of Airline Sales with responsibility for all hotac sales to airlines globally.

Upon the sale of the Forte Post House brand, Allan joined new owners Bass Hotels (now InterContinental Hotels Group) to expedite a smooth handover for the airline customers.

After many years on both sides of the negotiating table, Allan has a wealth of experience to offer HFA’s clients.

Steve has worked at Heathrow for fifty-one years. After thirty-five years with British Airways, where his last job was Manager of Sales and Reservations, Steve decided he liked airports and wanted to stay at Heathrow.

He began his second career with the Penta Heathrow Hotel where he was the Sales Manager for four years, developing the airline segment for the hotel. He then moved to the Excelsior Hotel where he spent five years.

When the Excelsior re-branded as Le Meridien he spent another three years developing the brand at the airport. Steve then spent another four years working for the InterContinental Hotels Group, representing the Crowne Plaza Heathrow, and the Holiday Inns at Heathrow.

Steve's name is synonymous with ad hoc hotel accommodation at Heathrow.