NEWS


Jet2, led by chief executive Steve Heapy (inset), has scaled back its planned winter capacity by 3.4% to 5.6 million seats – still an increase of 9% on last winter


Jet2’s ‘pragmatic’ capacity move ‘reflects uncertainty in market’


Juliet Dennis and Ian Taylor


Senior trade figures have described Jet2’s reduction in planned winter capacity as “pragmatic” amid fears of a challenging autumn market and suggested other major players could follow suit. The UK’s largest operator


and third-largest airline by passenger numbers blamed a “less certain consumer environment” as it cut 200,000 seats for this winter season, from 5.8 million to 5.6 million – still a 9% increase on winter 2024-25. In a statement, the company said


compared with 8% last year, but flight-only carryings were up by 17%. Alan Bowen, advisor to the


STORY TOP


Association of Atol Companies, suggested Jet2 was “being realistic”, saying: “Business is still good but this summer has been harder than anticipated. Last year was wonderful – a boom year, but the boom is over. We’re back to reality.” He suggested: “There will probably be


further cuts.” Industry accountant Chris


Photi, head of travel at White


it expected its full-year operating profit to be “towards the lower end of the consensus range” at about £449 million, with a late-booking trend “even more pronounced” since the summer and significant winter capacity still to sell. Jet2’s package holiday passenger numbers grew by 2% this summer,


travelweekly.co.uk


Hart Associates, agreed, saying the capacity cut represented “a change, without question”. He noted: “The industry has done


OK this year, but what is perplexing businesses is people are booking a lot later and that is a product of the uncertainty.” Photi forecast “a difficult year for the industry next year”. Travel Trade Consultancy director


Martin Alcock suggested chancellor Rachel Reeves’ decision to postpone


the autumn Budget to November 26 would prolong the uncertainty and said: “Lots of things are heading in the wrong direction. We face three months of speculation and negativity.” Deloitte UK chief economist


Ian Stewart confirmed the late Budget could have a negative impact, warning: “It seems inevitable speculation over tax rises will continue until November 26, with potentially harmful effects on consumer and business sentiment.” Stewart noted “lacklustre levels of


consumer confidence and a rapidly weakening jobs market”, allied to UK inflation rising to 3.8% in July, had “created a headache” for the Bank of England and driven government borrowing costs to “a 27-year high”. He warned: “Concerns around


government indebtedness and geopolitical risk are here to stay.” Advantage Travel Partnership


chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said said: “The consensus is we are entering another period of political


and economic turmoil, which in itself creates uncertainty that could lead to a slow-growth environment.” She described Jet2’s capacity cuts


as “pragmatic” following year-on-year capacity increases but noted “ample choice and capacity” remained vital for the key winter departure period. Aito executive director Martyn


Sumners warned specialist operators and agents could be left to “pick up the pieces” if airlines reduced capacity. He said: “When flights are


consolidated and timings and dates changed, it can have a huge impact for a specialist travel business. “Often consolidation is late


and then trying to find alternatives to match the original flights is impossible and far more expensive. It will continue to be a challenge for small businesses who have no control over how airlines behave.” Blue Bay Travel head of sales


Nicola Holman said: “We wouldn’t be surprised to see other operators follow a similar path to Jet2.”


11 SEPTEMBER 2025 5


PICTURES: Shutterstock/Benthemouse; Steve Dunlop


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