Tui Holidays removed its two Dublin-based planes following a review prompted by a €3 million pretax loss at its Irish unit in 2025, newly filed accounts show.
The loss was driven by challenging trading conditions, as well as pressure on its pricing and margins. Its Dublin-based aircraft were identified as a target for cost-cutting measures.
Tui had operated two Dublin-based aircraft, managed by a third-party supplier, until the end of summer 2025, with future booking to be fulfilled using external airlines. The company said the move will give more flexibility and choice to customers.
One of Ireland’s largest tour operators, Tui Holidays sells package holidays and runs retail travel agencies.
In newly filed accounts, Tui Holidays Ireland Ltd reported higher passenger numbers of 179,000 for the financial year, up 8.5 per cent from 167,000 passengers the previous year.
The company saw increased revenues of €174.2 million in the year ending September 2025, up 3 per cent from €169.4 million the previous year.
Despite the improved top line, the company saw its cost of sales rise from €159.4 million to €172.4 million, as costs jumped from 94 per cent of sales in 2024, to nearly 99 per cent.
Gross profit fell from €9.9 million to €1.8 million, and the company slipped to a pretax loss of €2.96 million. Tui had recorded a pretax profit of €8.35 million in 2024.
A comment in the accounts from the company’s British and German directors attributes the impacted performance to “tough trading, pressure on pricing and therefore margins”. The company “has been re-evaluating its strategy” and removed its Dublin-based aircraft to remove a fixed cost on the business.
“We have ambitious plans to increase our market share through sustainable, profitable growth strategies,” noted Tui head of Ireland Katrina Barry, at the time.
Responding to a query from The Irish Times, the company indicated that its Irish entity is part of its global group, adding that profits generated from customers are often realised at a group level instead of locally in Ireland.
Is it time Ireland abolished mandatory retirement?
“This structural set-up explains why increased sales volumes and revenue growth in the Irish entity contribute to group success without necessarily driving a corresponding increase in local net profit,” said the company.
The Irish branch is part of the Frankfurt-listed and Germany-headquartered Tui Group and utilises group companies for plane tickets, group-owned hotels and accommodations in addition to cruises purchased via a sister company, Marella Cruises.
Across six retail stores in Ireland, Tui employs 115 people, spread nearly equally between sales and administration staff, an increase from 104 staff in 2024. Staff costs tracked the increase in employee headcount, rising from €4.43 million in 2024 to €5.02 million in its most recent financial year.
The listed company previously owned the Budget Travel brand in Ireland, but was required to sell it following a 2007 merger with First Choice Holidays.