Tui UK & Ireland boss issues plea for government support

Tui’s UK & Ireland boss Neil Swanson has urged the UK government to do more to support the travel sector as costs keep rising. Speaking at the Travel Weekly Future of Travel Conference, he backed ABTA’s call ahead of next month’s Budget to freeze APD rates for the remainder of the current parliament, noting APD remains linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI). Swanson also pressed for support to keep sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) affordable, saying targets are “not tenable” given SAF production is falling short. He warned Tui’s airline cost base will rise by “double-digit millions” next year and by £100 million by the end of the decade, costs likely passed to customers. EasyJet Holidays chief Garry Wilson echoed calls for structural talks.