Continued from page 48 A further trial, scheduled
for late next year, will consider whether the potential damages are mitigated by any benefits from the fees which outweigh the harm. Lawyers estimate the card
schemes owe more than £4 billion to UK travel, hospitality and retail businesses. The claims date back to June 2016, and any damages will be payable up to a final judgment or settlement. Mastercard and Visa have
sought permission to appeal the initial judgment, and the Tribunal judgment noted: “There remain many more issues to resolve in this complex litigation.” About 600 merchant claimant groups have brought claims against the card schemes. Stephen Allen, former head
of Portman Travel and director of the class-representative companies bringing the claim, welcomed the judgment, saying: “It’s a big win. The schemes operated by Mastercard and Visa owe damages to British businesses.” He told Travel Weekly: “There is a still a fair way to go but we believe we’ll secure justice for a lot of businesses.” Jeremy Robinson, competition
litigation partner at law firm Harcus Parker, which is pursuing the claim, said: “Mastercard and Visa have caused substantial loss. The schemes have the opportunity to end this process now. We urge them to come to the table.” All businesses that accepted
• For more information, visit:
creditdebitcardclaim.co.uk.
card payments worth up to £100 million a year are automatically included in the claim. Those taking card payments worth more than £100 million had to opt in.
Industry bodies amplify opposition to visitor levies
Ian Taylor
Industry leaders have ratcheted up opposition to government plans to give mayors and local authorities powers to impose ‘visitor levies’ on overnight stays following closure of a consultation last week. Abta added its weight to the
campaign, noting “growing concern about the competitiveness of English travel and tourism”, while major corporate travel associations – the Business Travel Association (BTA), Global Business Traveller Association (GBTA) and Institute of Travel Management (ITM) – demanded business travel be excluded. Luke Petherbridge, Abta director
of public affairs, described the association’s response as “robust”, saying: “Adding further taxes to visitors is short-sighted and risks turning people off holidays in areas imposing these charges.” Abta confirmed it had joined the
for business travel to be exempt from any visitor levy, arguing corporate travellers “aren’t discretionary tourists and already make significant contributions through business rates, taxation and tra nsport fares”. They said: “Where levies are
London
Tourism Alliance “to call for mayors to be required to invest a proportion of revenues raised to promote and develop local tourism” if the proposals go ahead. The consultation proposed funds
raised go to “invest in projects and infrastructure that make a place attractive for visitors and residents” (Travel Weekly, February 19). Abta also called for a flat-rate
charge, as in Scotland. Local authorities in Scotland and Wales already have powers to apply visitor levies. The BTA, GBTA and ITM called
applied, revenues should be invested in tourism-related infrastructure, transport and public improvements.” BTA commercial director Andrew
Clarke said: “An overnight levy should apply solely to discretionary tourism. Business travellers are not tourists – their travel is non-discretionary.” GBTA vice-president for global
operations Catherine Logan urged the government “to consider very carefully the impact [levies] could have on local economies”. The World Travel & Tourism
Council issued research suggesting visitor levies could cost England £14.4 billion in lost international visitor spending by 2027 alongside “a significant drop” in domestic demand.
Iata clashes with Spanish authority over airport fees
Airline and airport associations have clashed over a proposed increase in airport charges in Spain. Iata joined the Spanish Airline
Association in demanding a near 5% annual reduction in Spanish airport charges over the next five years after airport operator AENA proposed an annual 3.8% increase. The airlines accused AENA of
46 26 FEBRUARY 2026
making €1.3 billion in “excessive returns” under current price regulations. Iata vice-president for Europe Rafael Schvartzman claimed: “AENA has gamed the regulatory system for years, earning millions of euros more than it should have. This must stop.” He accused the operator of
“a creative approach to forecasting” and denounced its proposed increases as “absurd”. However, European airports
association ACI Europe hit back, claiming the charges paid by airlines for using AENA airports had fallen by 36% in real terms in
Palma de Mallorca Airport
the decade to 2025 while fares in Spain had risen 40% since 2019. ACI Europe said: “AENA’s
€13 billion investment plan can’t be delivered without adjusting its user charges to reflect inflationary pressures and capital costs.”
travelweekly.co.uk
PICTURES: Shutterstock/Markus Mainka, Photocreo Michal Bednarek, Miguel Lagoa
PICTURE: Shutterstock/Michal Bednarek
PICTURE: Shutterstock/Markus Mainka
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