EasyJet confirmed it would fight a proposal for a levy on all flights to fund repatriation when airlines fail, as Abta repeated its call for consistency in consumer protection in light of the Monarch collapse.
The government ordered the repatriation of all Monarch passengers in October and Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer told a Travel Weekly Business Breakfast:
“Either the government has to say ‘if you bought a scheduled ticket, you find your own way back’ or ‘we’ll bring everyone back’, in which case there needs to be money to do that.
“It could be a levy. It could just be an obligation on the scheduled airline to have something in place in the event they fail.”
Tanzer said there currently seems to be “an inequality between paying £2.50 for Atol versus people not paying anything”.
But easyJet UK director Sophie Dekkers said APD should pay for repatriation.
Asked if the airline opposed a levy on all flights, she said: “Absolutely. We make very little profit per seat – about £4. Any cost rise would have an impact.”
Dekkers praised the repatriation, saying: “What the CAA did, hopefully, reassured people they won’t be left stranded.”
Instead of an all-flights levy, she argued for changes to the airline administration process, saying: “Air Berlin was operating under administration and able to bring people back – the same with Alitalia.
“Monarch had crew and aircraft capable of bringing people back.”
Tui UK distribution and cruise director Helen Caron said: “We supported the repatriation. [But] we’re disappointed we weren’t consulted about the way it happened and about the cost.”
She declined to call for an all‑flights levy.
Miles Morgan Travel managing director Miles Morgan said: “If everybody is protected, why are we paying [for Atol]? It’s a joke. Charge 50p on every booking.”