TUI AG received the approval of the German government for a bridging loan of close to 2 billion euros from the KfW.

The funds of Germany’s state-owned development bank are to be used to increase TUI's existing credit line with its banks amounting to 1.75 billion euros. The 1.8 billion euros KfW bridge loan is subject to the approval of the banks. Talks on this have already started and will be continued after today's decision.

One of the conditions of the KfW bridge loan is that TUI waives dividend payments for the duration of the bridge loan. This would give TUI access to financial resources and credit lines totaling 3.1 billion euros at the present time.

Fritz Joussen, CEO of TUI Group: “The commitment of the KfW bridge loan is an important first step for TUI to successfully bridge the current exceptional situation. Our thanks go to the German Federal Government, the German parliament, the Government of Lower Saxony and KfW. They have acted quickly and in a solution-oriented manner in the interest of our customers, employees and the company.”

TUI had decided to apply for the KfW bridging loan to cushion the unprecedented effects of the COVID 19 pandemic until normal business operations could be resumed. Following travel restrictions and travel warnings from almost all countries, the Group had to suspend its touristic offers in mid-March, including packaged tours, cruises, and hotel operations, until further notice.

Joussen: “TUI is a very healthy company. We were economically successful before the crisis and will be again after the crisis. Our business model is intact and we have over 21 million loyal customers. However, we are currently facing unprecedented international travel restrictions. As a result, we are temporarily a company with no product and no revenue. This situation must be bridged.”

In the past financial year 2019, TUI Group generated a turnover of around 19 billion euros and operating results of 893 million euros, including the costs of almost 300 million euros for the flight ban on the Boeing 737 MAX. Excluding the costs from the flight ban, operating results were at the level of the record year 2018 (1.2 billion euros). At the beginning of February 2020, bookings for the current summer were 14 percent higher than previous year. January 2020 was the strongest booking month in the company's history.