The Leading British travel association ABTA, which held its annual convention in Magalluf, Calvia, last October, has issued a statement calling for “cool heads” with regard to booking holidays and UK travel. Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive, has stated “We can’t say it enough at the moment – flights are taking off and holidays are going ahead.
“ABTA is continuing to repeat this message, in the face of sensationalist newspaper headlines. The reality is that our members’ customers are getting away and are enjoying their holidays. We want others to be able to do the same by having the confidence to book, and the confidence to travel.
“Our members are often the first port of call for people seeking guidance, and many agents and operators will be having conversations with their customers about fuel shortages and cancellations, offering reassurance that their holiday will still go ahead, and that they can book with confidence. As we, the airlines and the government have been saying, the reality is that there is not a fuel shortage and travel is continuing as planned.
“The announcement from the Transport Secretary not only stressed that there isn’t a fuel shortage, it also included measures to help airlines plan and mitigate against any potential shortages further down the line. These include the ability to consolidate flights without facing penalties when it comes to future slot allocation. This is an extension to existing rules and the intention is to avoid last minute cancellations, which are those that cause the most stress and disruption to passengers.
“The government is consulting on these measures. Abta will be putting in a submission to ensure the voice of members is heard. While the consultation is focused on airline schedules and slots, we’re also taking every opportunity in our ongoing engagement with government to highlight the need to consider the impact of the Middle East crisis on the whole industry, particularly our travel agent and tour operator members.
“The recent focus on fuel can lead people to forget that members are still dealing with the wider implications of the conflict – the inability to transit passengers through the Middle East, destinations remaining closed to UK visitors as per FCDO travel advice, and lost revenue where plans had to be cancelled due to the conflict.
“It’s a tough time for travel, but our members are resilient. The industry is very experienced in dealing with uncertainty, and many of our members will have been through similar situations in the past. We are working to address the uncertainty, by sharing messages of reassurance and clarification with the national media, doing broadcast interviews and providing advice to customers across our website and social media channels. It’s a time for cool heads.” This column first appeared in Travel Weekly on 8 May 2026.