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- #21
Concorde Lover said:
Really? You can't tell.
The Fair Tax on Flying
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Really? You can't tell.
TheLocalYokel
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- #22
Part of the problem is that the goverment relied on its projected APD income as a substantial part of its income in the coming years.
I read an article several weeks ago and we are talking about billions of pounds down in the immediate years ahead - I forget the actual figures.
The reason the APD income will be down is because fewer people are flying - many put off by the high rate of APD.
So to offset this reduction in income the government has decided to increase the APD rates by substantially more than it might have done.
I hear you say, "But won't that mean that even fewer people will then fly with a further reduction in APD income?" Yes.
"So the government will then have to increase APD even more?" Yes.
"But..........." Yes, right again and eventually the one remaining passenger (paying £10 billion APD per flight) will disappear up the rear entrance of the only ancient T-tail aeroplane flying in the British aviation industry, never to be seen again.
Remember, we're talking about politicians, the living proof of self aggrandisement.
I read an article several weeks ago and we are talking about billions of pounds down in the immediate years ahead - I forget the actual figures.
The reason the APD income will be down is because fewer people are flying - many put off by the high rate of APD.
So to offset this reduction in income the government has decided to increase the APD rates by substantially more than it might have done.
I hear you say, "But won't that mean that even fewer people will then fly with a further reduction in APD income?" Yes.
"So the government will then have to increase APD even more?" Yes.
"But..........." Yes, right again and eventually the one remaining passenger (paying £10 billion APD per flight) will disappear up the rear entrance of the only ancient T-tail aeroplane flying in the British aviation industry, never to be seen again.
Remember, we're talking about politicians, the living proof of self aggrandisement.
Jordan-34092
Well-Known Member
TheLocalYokel said:
Ain't having a go but it ain't politics it's Blundering idiots who don't know what they are doing and only care about what they want and no one else it all about the upper class with Cameron not us working class who pay his wages.
- Admin
- #24
Willie Walsh attacks David Cameron over lack of aviation policy
Willie Walsh, the chairman of British Airways parent IAG, last night attacked David Cameron for having ‘no policy for aviation’, the Guardian reports. He said that if the prime minister were serious about reviving the economy he would not be allowing UK airports to be overtaken as they are by competitors around the world. Aviation should be a building block to growth, he added.
Mr Walsh accused the prime minister of letting Britain's airline industry be undermined by 'foolish decisions' such as allowing air passenger duty to go up by twice the level of inflation, turning British aviation into the most taxed aviation industry in the world. He said: ‘When David Cameron went to China, he said we need to establish trade links and announced a Rolls-Royce deal worth £740m for engines to a China Eastern airline. But while he rightly praises Rolls-Royce, he fails to recognise that Rolls-Royce's success and growth is on the back of China's investment in aviation.'
‘The Chinese see aviation as a building block of growth. But this government has no policy on aviation. Mr Cameron will not even acknowledge the link between Rolls-Royce and British aviation (it is as if one is divorced from the other).’
He pointed out that all round the world other governments are massively expanding their air industry base. Mr Walsh said: ‘China has built 45 airports and, by 2020, it will have built a further 52. Or look at the Middle East: Dubai was 99th in the league table of world airports; last year it was 14th; today it is 4th and, by 2014, it will leapfrog Heathrow for the No 1 slot. China, Dubai, Brazil – wherever you look, they are taking advantage of our lack of ambition. These economies are investing in aviation the way the Victorians invested in railways.’
‘If the chancellor really wants to boost our economy, he should recognise the value of aviation. And the first step would be to scrap air passenger duty, a tax that is driving business and tourism away from the UK. If the double inflation rise goes ahead, we will see the tax burden on a family of four travelling in economy to Australia rise from the already prohibitive £680 to £979 by 2015. The Chinese and the Middle Eastern carriers do not have APD for good reason.'
‘This year, passengers flying from the UK will pay £2.2bn in APD, the highest aviation tax of anywhere in the world. Holland, Denmark and Norway have abolished their aviation taxes in recognition of the damage that they were inflicting on their economies.’
Source
Willie Walsh, the chairman of British Airways parent IAG, last night attacked David Cameron for having ‘no policy for aviation’, the Guardian reports. He said that if the prime minister were serious about reviving the economy he would not be allowing UK airports to be overtaken as they are by competitors around the world. Aviation should be a building block to growth, he added.
Mr Walsh accused the prime minister of letting Britain's airline industry be undermined by 'foolish decisions' such as allowing air passenger duty to go up by twice the level of inflation, turning British aviation into the most taxed aviation industry in the world. He said: ‘When David Cameron went to China, he said we need to establish trade links and announced a Rolls-Royce deal worth £740m for engines to a China Eastern airline. But while he rightly praises Rolls-Royce, he fails to recognise that Rolls-Royce's success and growth is on the back of China's investment in aviation.'
‘The Chinese see aviation as a building block of growth. But this government has no policy on aviation. Mr Cameron will not even acknowledge the link between Rolls-Royce and British aviation (it is as if one is divorced from the other).’
He pointed out that all round the world other governments are massively expanding their air industry base. Mr Walsh said: ‘China has built 45 airports and, by 2020, it will have built a further 52. Or look at the Middle East: Dubai was 99th in the league table of world airports; last year it was 14th; today it is 4th and, by 2014, it will leapfrog Heathrow for the No 1 slot. China, Dubai, Brazil – wherever you look, they are taking advantage of our lack of ambition. These economies are investing in aviation the way the Victorians invested in railways.’
‘If the chancellor really wants to boost our economy, he should recognise the value of aviation. And the first step would be to scrap air passenger duty, a tax that is driving business and tourism away from the UK. If the double inflation rise goes ahead, we will see the tax burden on a family of four travelling in economy to Australia rise from the already prohibitive £680 to £979 by 2015. The Chinese and the Middle Eastern carriers do not have APD for good reason.'
‘This year, passengers flying from the UK will pay £2.2bn in APD, the highest aviation tax of anywhere in the world. Holland, Denmark and Norway have abolished their aviation taxes in recognition of the damage that they were inflicting on their economies.’
Source
Jordan-34092
Well-Known Member
APD rises to go ahead; private jet tax delayed
Airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have accused the Government of favouring private jet travellers over commercial airline passengers by delaying the introduction of a ‘Learjet tax’ until 2013 whilst confirming double inflation increases in air passenger duty (APD) for other passengers, the Guardian reports.
A campaign by the biggest names in British aviation failed to achieve the abandonment of increases in air passenger duty (APD), as the Treasury confirmed plans to push ahead with six years of tax rises. However, the imposition of a tax for business jet users – previously exempt from APD – has been moved from next year to April 2013.
Passengers will find out the latest added cost of flying from a British airport next week when the Treasury announces new flight tax bands in the Government's response to the air passenger duty consultation on December 6. At the moment APD costs range from £12 for a short-haul to £85 for an ultra-long haul flight.
The British Air Transport Association, which represents 10 airlines including BA, Virgin Atlantic and Ryanair, said the delay was ‘unfair’. Simon Buck, BATA chief executive, said: ‘It is a year's grace for the wealthy man in the business jet, but for millions of people who cannot afford to fly by business jet, they will have to pay APD increases at twice the rate of inflation from April next year. How is that fair?’
According to new Treasury forecasts, the state's APD revenue will rise from £2.2bn last year to £2.6bn this year, rising annually until it hits £3.8bn in 2016/2017.
Source
_______________________________________________
I tell you this government is all for the upper class and screw the working class.
Airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have accused the Government of favouring private jet travellers over commercial airline passengers by delaying the introduction of a ‘Learjet tax’ until 2013 whilst confirming double inflation increases in air passenger duty (APD) for other passengers, the Guardian reports.
A campaign by the biggest names in British aviation failed to achieve the abandonment of increases in air passenger duty (APD), as the Treasury confirmed plans to push ahead with six years of tax rises. However, the imposition of a tax for business jet users – previously exempt from APD – has been moved from next year to April 2013.
Passengers will find out the latest added cost of flying from a British airport next week when the Treasury announces new flight tax bands in the Government's response to the air passenger duty consultation on December 6. At the moment APD costs range from £12 for a short-haul to £85 for an ultra-long haul flight.
The British Air Transport Association, which represents 10 airlines including BA, Virgin Atlantic and Ryanair, said the delay was ‘unfair’. Simon Buck, BATA chief executive, said: ‘It is a year's grace for the wealthy man in the business jet, but for millions of people who cannot afford to fly by business jet, they will have to pay APD increases at twice the rate of inflation from April next year. How is that fair?’
According to new Treasury forecasts, the state's APD revenue will rise from £2.2bn last year to £2.6bn this year, rising annually until it hits £3.8bn in 2016/2017.
Source
_______________________________________________
I tell you this government is all for the upper class and screw the working class.
TheLocalYokel
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- #26
I'm not a party political animal - never have been and I've a low opinion of politicians in general.
However, the fact that a Conservative government is so set against the development of the country's aviation industry, and its actions show it is despite what its word might say, is beyond comprehension.
The Lib Dems may be an influence but the Conservatives were making the same noises whilst in opposition and before the idea of a shotgun marriage in order to seize power was a realistic possibility.
Tehn again, they've got to find the money to support such things as India's space programme from somewhere. They've told us the Overseas Aid budget will not be reduced despite the fact that a significant part of it finds its way into the pockets of dictators and their cohorts in some Third World states.
However, the fact that a Conservative government is so set against the development of the country's aviation industry, and its actions show it is despite what its word might say, is beyond comprehension.
The Lib Dems may be an influence but the Conservatives were making the same noises whilst in opposition and before the idea of a shotgun marriage in order to seize power was a realistic possibility.
Tehn again, they've got to find the money to support such things as India's space programme from somewhere. They've told us the Overseas Aid budget will not be reduced despite the fact that a significant part of it finds its way into the pockets of dictators and their cohorts in some Third World states.
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- #27
We should be supporting our own industries, not giving it away to be squandered (I have no proof) by foreign powers. Don't forget, Charity begins at home!
TheLocalYokel
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- #28
Government to respond on APD tomorrow
The government's response to the consultation on air passenger duty that it carried out in the summer is due to be published tomorrow.
From what the Chancellor has already said it doesn't seem likely that the government will carry out a U-turn and reduce or abolish APD.
Perhaps the main interest will be in seeing whether the government proposes to devolve APD to the governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland* which could give airports in those countries a competitive edge over airports in England if the respective governments in those countries reduce their APD rates significantly.
* The Westminster government has already reduced Northern Ireland's long haul APD rate to the short haul rate to enable Belfast International to compete with Dublin, particularly with the Continental flights to Newark.
The government's response to the consultation on air passenger duty that it carried out in the summer is due to be published tomorrow.
From what the Chancellor has already said it doesn't seem likely that the government will carry out a U-turn and reduce or abolish APD.
Perhaps the main interest will be in seeing whether the government proposes to devolve APD to the governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland* which could give airports in those countries a competitive edge over airports in England if the respective governments in those countries reduce their APD rates significantly.
* The Westminster government has already reduced Northern Ireland's long haul APD rate to the short haul rate to enable Belfast International to compete with Dublin, particularly with the Continental flights to Newark.
TheLocalYokel
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- #29
Government's response to Treasury' APD consultation
As expected the government will not change its mind over APD.
The consultation was branded a a “waste of taxpayers’ money”, by the CEOs of BA, Virgin, Ryanair and easyjet who also described it as a sham. They went on to say, "We are left with a tax that has already cost 25,000 jobs, is doing increasing damage to the prospects for economic recovery and sends a message to the world that Britain is a difficult and expensive place to do business."
British Airways said that as a direct result of the government's action it would reduce its plans to take on 800 new staff in 2012 by about half, postpone plans to bring an additional Boeing 747 into service and review the use of two others. The airline would also cut back on ordering materials from suppliers around the UK.
The government will not devolve APD to Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland either but has not ruled out doing so in the future. In other words, it's been put into the too-hard-to-do basket.
The governments of these countries believe they should be allowed to set their own rates but if they did, and reduced them significantly, it would impact negatively on many English airports whose rates would still be set by the UK government (that may from time to time contain MPs representing Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish constituencies).
As expected the government will not change its mind over APD.
The consultation was branded a a “waste of taxpayers’ money”, by the CEOs of BA, Virgin, Ryanair and easyjet who also described it as a sham. They went on to say, "We are left with a tax that has already cost 25,000 jobs, is doing increasing damage to the prospects for economic recovery and sends a message to the world that Britain is a difficult and expensive place to do business."
British Airways said that as a direct result of the government's action it would reduce its plans to take on 800 new staff in 2012 by about half, postpone plans to bring an additional Boeing 747 into service and review the use of two others. The airline would also cut back on ordering materials from suppliers around the UK.
The government will not devolve APD to Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland either but has not ruled out doing so in the future. In other words, it's been put into the too-hard-to-do basket.
The governments of these countries believe they should be allowed to set their own rates but if they did, and reduced them significantly, it would impact negatively on many English airports whose rates would still be set by the UK government (that may from time to time contain MPs representing Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish constituencies).
TheLocalYokel
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- #30
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0777fa60-2d7a ... z1i7SkVfXP
Interesting article in the FT yesterday (see above link) regarding the plight of UK regional airports.
The article reports a plea from these airports for a clear government policy for their role as they 'face a battle to retain routes and the critical mass to survive'.
Plymouth Airport is highlighted as having met the ultimate fate of closure whilst seventy-five per cent of DTV has been put up for sale and HUY has been withdrawn from sale through lack of interest; these are all seen as symptoms of a growing problem amongst the regionals.
There are signs that the weaker, smaller players will struggle to hold their ground with one issue being the level of investment needed to compete.
Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool airports are shown as examples of airports that have recently committed or are about to commit huge sums to expand their facilities.
Tony Hallwood of LBA believes the successful regional airports will be those that support major commercial centres with big populations.
APD is a subject close to the subject with the regionals hoping for a differential rate to that of the major London airports. A spokesman for NCL says he believes that the government hasn't given up on the idea of an airport congestion tax which would favour less-used regional airports.
That said the article reports that airports in northern England fear any move to devolve the regulation of APD to Scotland. I suppose the same could be said about BRS and to an extent BHX regarding APD devolvement to Wales.
Interesting article in the FT yesterday (see above link) regarding the plight of UK regional airports.
The article reports a plea from these airports for a clear government policy for their role as they 'face a battle to retain routes and the critical mass to survive'.
Plymouth Airport is highlighted as having met the ultimate fate of closure whilst seventy-five per cent of DTV has been put up for sale and HUY has been withdrawn from sale through lack of interest; these are all seen as symptoms of a growing problem amongst the regionals.
There are signs that the weaker, smaller players will struggle to hold their ground with one issue being the level of investment needed to compete.
Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool airports are shown as examples of airports that have recently committed or are about to commit huge sums to expand their facilities.
Tony Hallwood of LBA believes the successful regional airports will be those that support major commercial centres with big populations.
APD is a subject close to the subject with the regionals hoping for a differential rate to that of the major London airports. A spokesman for NCL says he believes that the government hasn't given up on the idea of an airport congestion tax which would favour less-used regional airports.
That said the article reports that airports in northern England fear any move to devolve the regulation of APD to Scotland. I suppose the same could be said about BRS and to an extent BHX regarding APD devolvement to Wales.
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- #31
The announcement of HS2 today will only fuel the fire for reductions in APD and fairer taxes for aviation.
The government has announced it plans to spend £17bn pounds of tax payers money on the scheme initially linking London with Birmingham but the final cost will rise to £32bn once the second phase is complete linking other Northern cities. Surely this can't be value for money?
If every major UK city were to share the £32bn it would have brought significant lasting benefits. The canned Leeds supertram system was estimated to cost in the region of £600,000m, but the economic benefits would have been felt across the city had Leeds received a share of the pot. There would be a significant amount of money left over to improve local train services and other transport initiatives.
Leeds is just once example but similar schemes could have been mirrored in other cities throughout the country.
An actor who has been campaigning against HS2 summed it up for me. "The government is telling us there's no money for schools, hospitals and the Police yet they can waste ridiculous sums of money on this"
The government has announced it plans to spend £17bn pounds of tax payers money on the scheme initially linking London with Birmingham but the final cost will rise to £32bn once the second phase is complete linking other Northern cities. Surely this can't be value for money?
If every major UK city were to share the £32bn it would have brought significant lasting benefits. The canned Leeds supertram system was estimated to cost in the region of £600,000m, but the economic benefits would have been felt across the city had Leeds received a share of the pot. There would be a significant amount of money left over to improve local train services and other transport initiatives.
Leeds is just once example but similar schemes could have been mirrored in other cities throughout the country.
An actor who has been campaigning against HS2 summed it up for me. "The government is telling us there's no money for schools, hospitals and the Police yet they can waste ridiculous sums of money on this"
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- #32
[textarea]Airlines ask for APD rise rethink
Ryanair, easyJet, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways parent IAG have called on the Government to scrap a planned increase in air passenger duty (APD) and investigate its effect on the economy and growth, Bloomberg reports. The flight tax discourages visitors to the UK and so destroys jobs in tourism, hospitality and aviation, the airlines said in a joint statement today.
Families faces taxes of up to £500 to fly to some of the most popular holiday destinations, the UK's four leading airlines warned. They say that an independent survey would show the damage done to the economy by the tax, as lost jobs would outweigh the benefits of the revenue generated.
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary and easyJet’s Carolyn McCall, said in the statement: ‘Aviation wants to, and should be, playing a leading role in economic recovery, but the UK imposes the highest aviation taxes in the world, and keeps on increasing them without any analysis whatever of their overall economic impact.’
For more information on this airport news story visit: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-1 ... reeze.html[/textarea]
Ryanair, easyJet, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways parent IAG have called on the Government to scrap a planned increase in air passenger duty (APD) and investigate its effect on the economy and growth, Bloomberg reports. The flight tax discourages visitors to the UK and so destroys jobs in tourism, hospitality and aviation, the airlines said in a joint statement today.
Families faces taxes of up to £500 to fly to some of the most popular holiday destinations, the UK's four leading airlines warned. They say that an independent survey would show the damage done to the economy by the tax, as lost jobs would outweigh the benefits of the revenue generated.
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary and easyJet’s Carolyn McCall, said in the statement: ‘Aviation wants to, and should be, playing a leading role in economic recovery, but the UK imposes the highest aviation taxes in the world, and keeps on increasing them without any analysis whatever of their overall economic impact.’
For more information on this airport news story visit: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-1 ... reeze.html[/textarea]
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- #33
Concorde Lover said:
George Osborne's parliamentary seat of Knutsford.
Hardly a working class area is it? I'm sure you're right Concorde Lover!
Caption:- "Screw the working class"
TheLocalYokel
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- #34
APD
As expected the APD increases were not reversed in the budget - in fact, the Chancellor didn't even mention APD in his speech.
This year APD is calculated to bring in about £2.6 billion to the Exchequer. How many jobs it will be responsible for losing is arguable but there is no doubt the answer is a considerable number.
Now look at Overseas Aid. It's going up from £8 billion a year to £14 billion a year by 2014.
Now I'm not against the principle of helping those less well-off than many of us, but when every 'ordinary' person in the country itself is having to make huge sacrifices it cannot be right that our munificence knows no bounds when it comes to helping others.
Even keeping the Overseas Budget at a stand-still - many of our domestic budgets have been slashed of course - would have enabled the government to provide money for all sorts of desperately-needed facilities in this country, and reduce APD a bit in the bargain.
As expected the APD increases were not reversed in the budget - in fact, the Chancellor didn't even mention APD in his speech.
This year APD is calculated to bring in about £2.6 billion to the Exchequer. How many jobs it will be responsible for losing is arguable but there is no doubt the answer is a considerable number.
Now look at Overseas Aid. It's going up from £8 billion a year to £14 billion a year by 2014.
Now I'm not against the principle of helping those less well-off than many of us, but when every 'ordinary' person in the country itself is having to make huge sacrifices it cannot be right that our munificence knows no bounds when it comes to helping others.
Even keeping the Overseas Budget at a stand-still - many of our domestic budgets have been slashed of course - would have enabled the government to provide money for all sorts of desperately-needed facilities in this country, and reduce APD a bit in the bargain.
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- #35
The Chancellor of the Exchequer doesn't appear to understand how the average man and woman on the street struggles to make ends meet especially with the cost of rising fuel prices. Many families will save up for the entire year for an annual holiday abroad. There will eventually be a cut off point where families can no longer afford to fly at the rate taxes and Air Passenger Duty is rising. It makes me sick to see George Osborne smug face on the TV knowing he is in the "I'm alright Jack" category where he will never know or understand how much working class people struggle. To think the Overseas Aid fund is raising from $8bn a year to £14bn astounds me when you see homeless people on the streets in every major town and city centre. George Osborne, you should be ashamed of yourself.
TheLocalYokel
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- #36
APD
Trying not to go off topic too much and to avoid a party political debate, it is unreal that the UK continues to aid somewhere like India financially when that country is one of the major emerging world economies and has its own nuclear and space programmes.
It's also building new airports as fast as it can - the state of Gujarat alone is planning to build eleven new ones.
If it can afford that sort of thing it can certainly afford to look after its vulnerable citizens without recourse to help from a country half way around the world that is struggling to balance its own books big time.
And what thanks do we get? India snubs us and turns to France when it wants to buy new military aircraft. We're probably helping to pay for them indirectly.
The APD nightmare is just symptomatic of a country that seems to be an asylum run by the inmates - and Labour was no different to the Conservative/LibDems when it was in power.
In case anyone thinks it, I'm certainly not a member of UKIP or any political party - a curse on them all is my standpoint.
Trying not to go off topic too much and to avoid a party political debate, it is unreal that the UK continues to aid somewhere like India financially when that country is one of the major emerging world economies and has its own nuclear and space programmes.
It's also building new airports as fast as it can - the state of Gujarat alone is planning to build eleven new ones.
If it can afford that sort of thing it can certainly afford to look after its vulnerable citizens without recourse to help from a country half way around the world that is struggling to balance its own books big time.
And what thanks do we get? India snubs us and turns to France when it wants to buy new military aircraft. We're probably helping to pay for them indirectly.
The APD nightmare is just symptomatic of a country that seems to be an asylum run by the inmates - and Labour was no different to the Conservative/LibDems when it was in power.
In case anyone thinks it, I'm certainly not a member of UKIP or any political party - a curse on them all is my standpoint.
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- #37
[textarea]8% APD rise takes effect today
Air passenger duty (APD) has increased by 8% today, as announced by the government in the Autumn Statement last year, the BBC reports. For short-haul flights, the tax has increased from £12 to £13. For long-haul flights of more than 4,000 miles, it has increased from £85 to £92. The changes in APD will also see it extended to private business jets for the first time.
Sir Richard Branson, who owns Virgin Atlantic, told the BBC increasing the tax will put some people off visiting the UK. He said: ‘Tax is all very well when it's not actually costing the country money, but I think it's getting to a stage where it's actually going to cost the country money.'
The government defended the rise by saying it had frozen APD last year. Economic Secretary to the Treasury Chloe Smith said: 'We were able to take action to freeze APD last year and we have been able to be clear about what will then happen to it this year. I think that does represent a fair deal for passengers.'
There are four bands of APD. Tax on short-haul flights has gone up from £12 to £13. Longer flights up to 4,000 miles have seen an increase from £60 to £65, while tax on flights between 4,000 and 6,000 miles has risen from £75 to £81. APD on flights above 6,000 miles has increased from £85 to £92. All these figures refer to economy class flights; business class passengers pay more.
For more information on this airport news story visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17566683[/textarea]
Air passenger duty (APD) has increased by 8% today, as announced by the government in the Autumn Statement last year, the BBC reports. For short-haul flights, the tax has increased from £12 to £13. For long-haul flights of more than 4,000 miles, it has increased from £85 to £92. The changes in APD will also see it extended to private business jets for the first time.
Sir Richard Branson, who owns Virgin Atlantic, told the BBC increasing the tax will put some people off visiting the UK. He said: ‘Tax is all very well when it's not actually costing the country money, but I think it's getting to a stage where it's actually going to cost the country money.'
The government defended the rise by saying it had frozen APD last year. Economic Secretary to the Treasury Chloe Smith said: 'We were able to take action to freeze APD last year and we have been able to be clear about what will then happen to it this year. I think that does represent a fair deal for passengers.'
There are four bands of APD. Tax on short-haul flights has gone up from £12 to £13. Longer flights up to 4,000 miles have seen an increase from £60 to £65, while tax on flights between 4,000 and 6,000 miles has risen from £75 to £81. APD on flights above 6,000 miles has increased from £85 to £92. All these figures refer to economy class flights; business class passengers pay more.
For more information on this airport news story visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17566683[/textarea]
- Admin
- #38
[textarea]Birmingham Airport boss backs calls for 'fair tax on flying'
BIRMINGHAM Airport boss Paul Kehoe is backing calls for a “fair tax on flying” – after nearly 2,000 people in the West Midlands joined a campaign to cut Air Passenger Duty (APD).
Mr Kehoe, chief executive of Birmingham Airport, has thrown his weight behind an initiative backed by 100,000 people nationwide over the high cost of APD.
The airport boss yesterday called for APD to be temporarily waived on new routes to emerging markets – and slammed the tax as a barrier to travel for many people.
Read More http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/c ... z24p5CYA4K[/textarea]
BIRMINGHAM Airport boss Paul Kehoe is backing calls for a “fair tax on flying” – after nearly 2,000 people in the West Midlands joined a campaign to cut Air Passenger Duty (APD).
Mr Kehoe, chief executive of Birmingham Airport, has thrown his weight behind an initiative backed by 100,000 people nationwide over the high cost of APD.
The airport boss yesterday called for APD to be temporarily waived on new routes to emerging markets – and slammed the tax as a barrier to travel for many people.
Read More http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/c ... z24p5CYA4K[/textarea]
- Admin
- #39
[textarea]Airlines call for joined-up Govt thinking
Flybe has hailed a parliamentary report on aviation as ‘a breath of fresh air’ because it recognises the adverse effect of Air Passenger Duty.
The report, issued yesterday by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Aviation, also said that the restriction of capacity at Heathrow is harming the UK’s economic potential.
The APPG calls for the Government to undertake an economic analysis of the impact of APD on the UK economy and to protect UK regional access to any future UK hub airport.
Flybe said in a statement: ‘The report recognises, in the very first line of the Executive Summary, something that Flybe has been saying for years, that “evidence from experience in other European countries and indications of changing patterns of traffic, particularly from the UK regions, appears to confirm the adverse impacts of imposing APD, particularly at the high rates in the UK”.’
Full Story: http://www.e-tid.com/airlines-call-for- ... ing/40192/[/textarea]
I am sceptical as to whether the All Party Parliamentary Group review will make any difference. Every party recognises Air Passenger Duty as a 'cash cow' so the only way I see this being dropped is by finding another similar money raising cash cow somewhere else. Likely? I think it's doubtful.
Flybe has hailed a parliamentary report on aviation as ‘a breath of fresh air’ because it recognises the adverse effect of Air Passenger Duty.
The report, issued yesterday by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Aviation, also said that the restriction of capacity at Heathrow is harming the UK’s economic potential.
The APPG calls for the Government to undertake an economic analysis of the impact of APD on the UK economy and to protect UK regional access to any future UK hub airport.
Flybe said in a statement: ‘The report recognises, in the very first line of the Executive Summary, something that Flybe has been saying for years, that “evidence from experience in other European countries and indications of changing patterns of traffic, particularly from the UK regions, appears to confirm the adverse impacts of imposing APD, particularly at the high rates in the UK”.’
Full Story: http://www.e-tid.com/airlines-call-for- ... ing/40192/[/textarea]
I am sceptical as to whether the All Party Parliamentary Group review will make any difference. Every party recognises Air Passenger Duty as a 'cash cow' so the only way I see this being dropped is by finding another similar money raising cash cow somewhere else. Likely? I think it's doubtful.
- Admin
- #40
[textarea]MPs vote for study into impact of air tax on UK economy
MPs have voted for an economic study into the effect of air passenger duty on the UK economy following a debate in the House of Commons led by a group of cross-party backbenchers who have been putting pressure on the Government for a review of the controversial tax.
However, the economic secretary to the treasury, Sajid Javid, said later: "We have no plans at this point for further consultation." He said the revenue raised by the tax made an important contribution "in this time of austerity".
Full story: http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature. ... id=2003782[/textarea]
MPs have voted for an economic study into the effect of air passenger duty on the UK economy following a debate in the House of Commons led by a group of cross-party backbenchers who have been putting pressure on the Government for a review of the controversial tax.
However, the economic secretary to the treasury, Sajid Javid, said later: "We have no plans at this point for further consultation." He said the revenue raised by the tax made an important contribution "in this time of austerity".
Full story: http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature. ... id=2003782[/textarea]
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Well it looks like I'm off to Australia and New Zealand next year! Booked with BA from Manchester via Heathrow with a stop in Singapore and returning with Air New Zealand and BA via LAX to Heathrow. Will circumnavigate the globe and be my first trans-Pacific flight. First long haul flight with BA as well and of course Air NZ.
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Welcome to the forum, I was born and bred in Southampton.
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