ebookers goes backpacking to India

NEWS Online travel agent ebookers is creating at least 150 new jobs in a cost-cutting move to India. All non-essential operations including web chat rooms, email services, and accounting and data entry will be moved to India, as the company works towards a Q4 2001 breakeven target. The company will also outsource its software development to an Indian firm. While ebookers has not yet released staffing requirements in these areas, 50 staff will be recruited at a call centre in India's silicon enclave Bangalore to handle peak time overflow and overnight calls. The company's European call centres in London, Dublin and Paris will remain, with 100 new customer service staff to be recruited in the UK. A spokesperson for the company said there would be no European job cuts.