Bath to attack January price cuts

Report by Jeremy Skidmore

ABTA president Stephen Bath is to condemn the policy of discounting and plead with the industry to stop throwing away its profits.

In his opening speech at the ABTA convention, Bath will say price cuts during January are unnecessary.

His comments will echo those of First Choice chief executive Peter Long, who said widespread discounting was destroying the industry (Travel Weekly, June 26).

Bath will say there is a strong case for sensible pricing this January because the economy is strong, inflation low and European air passenger duty is being slashed from £10 to £5 on holiday flights from April 1.