Travel industry news

EU Entry-Exit System roll-out delayed until mid-November – reports

The entry-exit system (EES) will reportedly now lunch on 10 November with the possibility of being postponed until 17 November if member states are not ready

SAF investment and rail reform: how travel reacted to the King's Speech

New Labour government’s first King’s Speech outlines plans to support the sustainable aviation fuel industry and progressively renationalise Britain’s railways

AI 'travel assistant' start-up seeks agents for free prototype test

An AI start-up aimed at agents is looking for 50 agents to test its new ’travel assistant’ concept, which it says will give the trade an edge when competing with OTAs and search engines

New Jet2holidays 'booking capture' tool to be rolled out to trade

Dolphin Dynamics developed the tool with input from several miniples, including Millington Travel, Baldwins Travel and Dawson & Sanderson

Tui to put winter 2025/26 on sale this week with more regional flights

Tui follows the trend for early programme launches with the release of winter 2025/26 holidays, expanding its range of flights from Newcastle and Cardiff

Wage growth for entry and lower-level travel jobs stalling – C&M

Recruitment activity has also dipped during the first half of the year according to C&M Travel Recruitment’s H1 travel salary index

Agency shut down after failing to refund customers almost £600,000

Insolvency Service chief investigator Cheryl Lambert said it ’had no option’ but have the company wound-up to protect future customers

Wendy Wu Tours appoints Sarah Kewley as dedicated BDM for homeworkers

Kewley, who brings experience from a spell with STA Travel, takes up a newly-created ’new distribution’ brief with the Asia specialist

'Much-loved' Toucan Travel boss Terry Thornhill passes away aged 83

The travel industry heavyweight entered the travel industry when he opened his first branch of Toucan Travel in Tadley, Hampshire, in 1982

Jet2 brings forward Bournemouth base launch to early February

The first flights to Tenerife will depart on 4 February 2025 instead of 1 April, Jet2 announced on Friday (12 July)

The Big Question: Is it time to rebrand the travel agent?

The value of personal service to consumers came to the fore during the pandemic. Now, in 2024, does the term ‘travel agent’ accurately convey what they do, and how much baggage does it still carry with it?

CAA tells airlines to abide by EU261 after BA crew sickness ruling

The CAA has told airlines they must pay consumers who lodged EU261 claims that depended on the outcome of a case involving British Airways after a flight was cancelled following crew sickness

Strong package pricing is helping Jet2 counter soaring cost increases

The airline and operator on Thursday (11 July) detailed a big rise in package prices last year, which it says has helped offset huge rises in oil prices and other costs – and saw it pay more commission to agents

Newmarket trade lead Richard Forde to leave operator and take career break

Escorted touring specialist’s head of trade to step down from his role and leave the business after 15 years

Jet2 firms up major aircraft order as annual profits jump by a third to £520 million

Chief executive said the airline and operator’s reaction to headwinds like last year’s wildfires in Rhodes, floods in Skiathos and the August bank holiday ATC outage had contributed to its strong performance

Tom Morgan: ‘G Touring has the capacity to invest in and train more agents’

G Touring’s new sales director Tom Morgan, in his first trade press interview since his switch from Riviera Travel, tells TTG’s Harry Kemble about the potential he sees in the group’s Just You and Travelsphere brands – and why he wants to keep working closely with agents

Irish agents hopeful of end to Aer Lingus pilots dispute as pay deal tabled

Aer Lingus pilots employed in Ireland are poised to end weeks of strict work-to-rule action after their union recommended they accept an almost 20% pay uplift

Airlines facing potential avalanche of flight delay claims following staff sickness ruling

The Supreme Court has ruled airline staff sickness doesn’t constitute an ’extraordinary circumstance’, opening the door for passengers to claim compensation in the event of a flight delay or cancellation owing to any absence of crew through illness. Gary Noakes reports.

Tui charts post-election upturn in both summer and winter sun sales

Tui says it has seen an upturn in searches and bookings for late summer as well as next winter following the general election conclusion

Luton airport green pledge ad banned for failing to include flight emissions

The Advertising Standards Authority has sanctioned Luton airport owner Luton Rising for an ad featuring environmental pledge, which said its expansion would bring no further emissions – but failed to include those from aircraft

Byway to expand into new markets after securing £5 million fresh funding

The slow travel specialist will use the cash to expand into new markets and new roles across several departments, including in technology, product and finance

JG's Chris Simmonds to succeed retiring David Harrington as HF Holidays chief

Simmonds brings experience from spells as chief executive of National Holidays and Just Go! Holidays parent JG Travel Group and as a former Saga Holidays managing director and chief executive

Travel bucked lower spending trend during washout June, says Barclays

Consumers stayed away from retailers in June, but the travel sector was buoyed by balance payments before summer breaks, latest Barclays research finds

Regulators tell Boeing to check another safety issue with its 737s

US safety officials order Boeing to inspect 737s after concerns passenger oxygen supplies could fail in an emergency