Low-cost flights are to come to an end this summer. At least when it comes to the boss of the travel giant Tui. He doesn't expect any bargain flights.
Hanover – Tui boss Sebastian Ebel thinks the era of low-cost flights is over and sees fewer chances of last-minute bargains this summer. "There won't be a 'last-minute summer' in 2023 like there used to be," the head of the world's largest travel group told Bild am Sonntag. "On the contrary, prices will be higher rather than cheaper shortly before departure, because hoteliers and airlines also know that there will still be a lot of bookings at short notice. Spontaneous bargains will be the absolute exception."
Tui boss: "Cheap offers will no longer exist as they used to"
In the case of air travel, there is also the reduction of capacities at the airports. "The demand for holiday flights in particular exceeds the supply. That's why these low-cost offers, with selective exceptions for marketing campaigns, will no longer exist as they used to," said Ebel.
The travel group was in trouble during the pandemic, but claims to have bottomed out. "We're going to make a profit this year. We have repaid the state aid in full in recent days," Ebel said.
The state Economic Stabilisation Fund (WSF) and the state-owned development bank KfW had saved Tui from collapse after the business slump caused by the Corona pandemic with capital injections, bonds and credit lines totalling around 4.3 billion euros. From the WSF's point of view, the Group has now left its pandemic-related problems behind.
If you book your holiday at short notice, you will pay extra this summer.jpg © Boarding_Now via Imago
Customers disagree: "Travel only for the rich" vs. "Air travel should become more valuable"
However, the announcement of the Tui boss is not well received by holidaymakers. On Instagram, a user criticized: "Travel only for the rich." Others are critical of the statement and do not believe in an end to the price war in the aviation sector. "The fact is, if there are no more cheap flights, no one will go on holiday anymore. And then the airlines will suffer too!" one social media user is sure.
Others, on the other hand, are happy about the end of low-cost flights and see the positive aspects of the development. First and foremost: climate protection. "Flying is so yesterday," writes one user. Another calls for a balance on air travel. She writes: "Air travel should remain possible, but become more valuable. Flying to Mallorca for three days of partying doesn't have to be. Once a year, a flight, but yes." Another user also makes it clear that flying is "not properly appreciated". Another demands that the higher airfares will eventually pay the staff better. (ph/dpa)