News Release (10/03/11)
Bristol Airport has joined forces with the leading names in the UK travel and tourism industry in a campaign calling for a fair tax on flying.
With fuel prices reaching record levels, the campaign is calling on the Government to halt any further rises in aviation tax, with revenue from Air Passenger Duty (APD) having increased by 2600% since it was first introduced in 1994. This year £2.2 billion of holidaymakers’ and business travellers’ money will pour into the Treasury’s coffers. The Government has stated that it intends to raise the tax by a further £1.4 billion by 2015.
In an open letter to the Chancellor, George Osborne, the campaign sets “Five Tests” of fairness for him to take into account as he prepares his March Budget. Holidaymakers or business travellers flying from the UK pay by far the highest levels of flight tax in Europe.
Bristol Airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert Sinclair, said:
“Increases in the tax on flying risk setting back the region’s recovery by making it more expensive to visit the South West, either as a holiday destination or to do business.
“Aviation already pays its way, and is addressing its environmental responsibilities. Increasing the tax burden will have a disproportionate impact on regional airports such as Bristol, making it more difficult to establish vital new routes and discouraging overseas visitors.
“Further increases in aviation tax will make an overseas holiday or a visit to friends and relatives simply unaffordable for many hard-working families in the UK. Flying will once more become the preserve of the wealthy few.”
About a Fair Tax on Flying
The Fair Tax on Flying (www.facebook.com/afairtaxonflying) campaign is an alliance of more than 25 airlines, airports, tour operators, destinations and trade associations who are uniting to call on the Government to make the system of aviation tax in the UK fairer. We already pay the highest levels of aviation tax of any nation in Europe.
Fair Tax on Flying campaign members include: ABTA, AOA, ANTOR, British Airways, BAA, BAR-UK, BATA, BMI, Bristol Airport, ETOA, Gatwick Airport, Jet2, Lastminute.com, London City Aiport, Luton Airport, Manchester Airport Group, Monarch, Newcastle Airport, The Caribbean Council, The co-operative travel, Thomas Cook, Tourism Alliance, TUI Travel PLC, ukinbound, Virgin Atlantic.
The alliance have set five tests that they are asking the Government to take into account as they review the overall structure or level of aviation tax:
- Will any revision increase the overall amount travellers pay to fly to and from the UK?
- Will any change be designed to be offset by the income from the UK’s inclusion in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)?
- Will a new approach remove the unfairness that travellers buying a premium economy ticket for a few extra inches of legroom are classed the same as first class travellers and pay double the rate of tax?
- Will any new policy address concerns that defining bands by national capital cities creates unhelpful exceptions that are unfair to passengers and damage destinations?
- Has the policy’s impact on destinations, trade and tourism been adequately understood and considered?