Travellers are being advised to take extra precautions as a wave of flight cancellations and route cuts sweeps across Europe, prompted by rising aviation taxes. The changes have led to some airlines scaling back operations significantly, with certain routes being dropped and bases closed altogether.
As a result, Ian Wilson, travel insurance specialist at Tiger.co.uk, has issued an urgent warning for those planning summer holidays this year: “Travellers will likely need to be flexible with their plans and consider alternative routes or destinations if their preferred options become too expensive or unavailable.
“It’s also crucial for holidaymakers not to delay purchasing travel insurance, or risk losing protection for unexpected issues in the build-up to departure.”
He emphasised the importance of securing travel insurance immediately upon booking a holiday to ensure full financial protection.
Wilson adds: “Most standard travel insurance policies include cancellation coverage, but if the coverage isn’t sufficient, you can purchase it separately.”
Wilson also points out that travel insurance can offer compensation for other costs associated with flight cancellations, such as car hire, kennel fees, pre-booked activities, and accommodation. He advises holidaymakers to carefully check their policy details and add additional coverage if necessary, as these items are not always automatically included.
These taxes are set to impact several tourist hotspots and the travel to or from them, including Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Belgium and France. All of these are popular destinations for Brits during the Easter and summer holidays.
While the cost is initially borne by the airline, it’s often passed onto passengers through increased ticket prices. Consequently, many budget airlines are adjusting their routes to maintain low fares.
These taxes are typically designed to discourage unnecessary air travel and contribute towards the environmental costs of flying. Therefore, they vary depending on factors such as the type of aircraft, flight duration and other considerations.
Some of the announced and implemented increases have been significant. For instance, in Denmark, current aviation taxes range from 30 DKK (£3.35) to 300 DKK (£33.35) per passenger. These are expected to rise to 50 DKK (£5.56) to 410 DKK (£45.58) by 2030.
