The operator’s local constituency representative, Laura Moffatt, Labour MP for Crawley, hosted the meeting, which was attended by TUI Travel chief executive Peter Long, CAA group director consumer protection, Richard Jackson, other industry representatives and three MPs with responsibility for transport.
They were: Paul Clark, Parliamentary under secretary of state for transport; Julian Brazier, shadow minister for transport; and Lib Dem transport deputy spokesperson Mark Hunter.
Long used the meeting to call for: a replacement of APD with a pay-per-plane tax ‘as a matter of urgency’; a suspension of the increases planned for November 2010; removal of premium economy from the higher band into the lower band; and a resolution of the geographical banding anomalies.
He also welcomed the indication by the Conservatives that they would look at a per-plane tax if they win the next election.
Also on the agenda was ATOL reform and the European Package Travel Directive.
The meeting took place two weeks before a planned meeting between Long and European Commissioner for Consumers, Meglena Kuneva, to discuss a review of the Package Travel Directive.
Long said he would tell the commissioner: ‘This is new legislation that is desperately needed by our industry and we share your aim of ensuring that all industry customers can benefit from the same levels of protection as those currently enjoyed by our customers.’
Recent TUI news from e-tid.com:
Mottershead finally rejoins TUI (02/11/2009)
TUI remains positive; rejigs supervisory board (29/10/2009)
Lates boost TUI Travel as it unveils warchest (29/09/2009)
TUI UK focuses on added-value (03/09/2009)
TUI Travel reports 57% profit increase (12/08/2009)
And see also:
Caribbean awaits APD change (02/11/2009)
Virgin calls for Tory pledge on APD (30/10/2009)
80% think APD is unfair (28/10/2009)
Olympic warning over APD (16/10/2009)
CWT calculates corporate cost of APD hike (12/10/2009)
Industry leaders agree action on APD (07/10/2009)
‘Carbon offsets should exempt passengers from APD’ (04/09/2009)
WTTC calls for abolition of APD (04/08/2009)