Ministers should ‘follow up words with action’ on SAF, says Jet2 boss

The chief executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays is calling on the government to act on “positive noises” made by ministers on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Steve Heapy said he has met the transport secretary Heidi Alexander and aviation minister Mike Kane to lobby on the issue – but nothing has yet happened.

“They both made positive noises about what they want to do in terms of airport expansion, the SAF mandate and the revenue certainty mechanism,” he told a Travel Weekly webcast.

“They just need to follow up words with action.

“I think a strong aviation sector is important to the economy. That’s something [chancellor] Rachel Reeves has said, so I hope that they will put in place the revenue certainty mechanism pretty soon.

“We have heard a lot of very positive statements, but we need action.

“We need people to build SAF plants in the UK, and the SAF companies won’t build SAF plants until there’s the revenue certainty mechanism.

“So, it follows that the quicker you get the revenue certainty mechanism in place, the quicker you have SAF plants. And SAF therefore should be cheaper.”

If this doesn’t happen, then he warned prices would continue to rise and demand would drop – affecting people on lower incomes the most.

“I think it is disgraceful that people at the lower end of the income scale will be the ones that won’t be able to fly to go on holiday. Everyone should have the opportunity to go on holiday,” he said.

“Heidi and Mike have certainly made good noises. They both seem very energetic.”

Asked if the mechanism could start this year, he commented: “I hope so. I am encouraged by them both. They are both very approachable people.

“They both seem very passionate about their sectors and their areas of responsibility, and I look forward to carrying on talking to them, and hopefully we’ll see some progress.”

Heapy also cautioned against further tax rises this year, adding: “An increase in taxes definitely means that people have less money to spend.

“I very much hope [the government] don’t increase taxes, but if they do, then we’ve got to hope that people still see holidays as an essential purchase and perhaps spend a bit less on discretionary things.”

Heapy was speaking to Travel Weekly while he was at Luton airport to see the launch of flights from the company’s 13th base.

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