Intriguing reports in the UK this weekend suggesting EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou is planning a new online travel agency.
The idea to create a rival to Expedia and Travelocity-owned Lastminute.com in Europe is said to be dependent on whether Stelios (as he universally known) can end a long running row with EasyJet management over the airline's strategy.
Stelio owns almost 40% of the airline and is calling on its board of directors to "stop spending money on new aircraft" and please shareholders with a dividend.
If the two parties fail to resolve their disagreement over a range of issues (another involves the airline's ancillary revenue policy) then Stelios is said to be keen to take the EasyJet name from the airline (which he licences for £1 a year) and create an OTA.
Stelios's enthusiasm for developing such a business will come having already seen the creation of EasyJetHolidays (a dynamic packaging service using EasyJet flights and TUI-owned Hotelopia accommodation) and, no doubt, witnessing the rapid rise of newer OTAs such as Priceline's Booking.com brand in Europe.
Stelios will not be the first high profile industry figure to get a twinkle in the eye when thinking about joining the world of the OTAs in Europe - Thomas Cook is heading that way, too.
The tour operator is well advanced with plans to create its own agency having initially brought in ex-Expedia Europe president Simon Breakwell to act as a stealthy consultant before going public in early-2010.
Thomas Cook has yet to reveal how it will take on such a task (Anaylsis: How will Thomas Cook become a top European online travel agency?) but the project is being overseen by chief executive for Thomas Cook’s East and West Europe division, Thomas Doering.
NB: EasyJet has yet to respond to media calls.