XL Airways has cut summer 2007 capacity by 30% and warned accommodation-only suppliers may be left without enough airlift if other carriers follow suit.
Commercial director Andy Fleming conceded too many flights were introduced by the carrier last year, before he joined in November. The majority of the cuts are on western Mediterranean routes from regional airports and are being made to meet financial targets in a saturated market. They will take effect from May 1 with the aircraft switched to French and German operations.
Fleming said: “I don’t think we’ll be alone in doing it as last summer there was too much capacity in the market.”
On Holiday Group chief executive Steve Endacott said: “Obviously XL Airways can cut its capacity but it won’t affect us as there’s always another carrier who will choose to grow in return.”