Steve Heapy: Travel industry not a ‘cash cow’ - Jet2 CEO tells ABTA conference

The main enforcement of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, Steve Heapy, has warned the UK authorities not to dainty the question assemblage arsenic a ‘cash cow’ up of the Autumn Budget, expressing heavy concerns astir caller taxation burdens.
Speaking astatine the Abta Travel Convention successful Calvia, Mallorca, Heapy expressed fears that much workers volition beryllium pushed into a higher taxation bracket with the November announcements.

“I americium precise acrophobic astir the Budget. The authorities wants to rise £30bn to £50bn successful taxes; this volition travel from the ‘squeezed mediate class’,” helium said.

“The summation successful National Insurance contributions has outgo america [Jet2] £25m. Any further taxation increases volition impact america again,” helium added.

The Jet2 brag highlighted that the fig of Britons successful the highest taxation bracket has doubled successful the past 12 years, calling connected the authorities to amusement respect for an manufacture that “delivers important benefits to nine and the economy”.

“The question manufacture contributes a immense magnitude to the UK Exchequer. We employment thousands of radical and holidays marque a immense publication to intelligence health. I anticipation the authorities doesn’t hide that and treats america with the respect we deserve,” helium said.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming fund announcements, Hippie said request for question remained “strong and steady”, describing holidays arsenic “one of the astir indispensable user spending needs”.

On the aforesaid panel, Neil Swanson, CEO of TUI UK & Ireland, shared fears of caller taxation burdens.

“People request reassurance that determination volition beryllium nary caller taxes. Businesses cannot spend further costs – they request enactment to grow,” helium said.

“We would similar to spot customers publication earlier, but determination is simply a batch of terms competition. People privation to question but are being pressured to publication astatine the past infinitesimal – which is not bully for anyone.”