A Fair Tax on Flying Launches New Summer Campaign Calling for APD Review
A brand new "A Fair Tax on Flying" campaign has been launched by the Airports Operators Association and the industry coalition which is made up of more than 30 airlines, tour operators, airports and organisations.
The campaign is hoping to gain at least 100,000 supporters this summer who will contact their MPs to demand a review on the rising cost of Air Passenger Duty (APD). The rise affects the cost of Caribbean holidays and flights to long haul destination such as Australia, South America and South Africa.
In March this year, the British chancellor, George Osborne, announced in his Budget speech that APD would be increasing by a further eight per cent from April, 2012.
The campaign is helping travellers become aware of the effects that the APD rise is having on the travel industry throughout the world and it is urging people to support them and contact their MPs so that the issue can be reviewed by the government.
The Head of Public Affairs at ABTA, Luke Pollard, explained: "Higher and higher flight taxes make well-earned holidays more expensive and make British goods and services more costly than our competitors. At a time when the country desperately needs more jobs and growth taxes like APD makes economic recovery harder not easier.
"If the Government is serious about economic growth, then as a first step it should commission a study into the impacts of this tax on our economy. Holidaymakers and business travellers can join the call for this study by lobbying their MP.
He added that other European counties who had reviewed their APD had theirs reduced or removed and campaigners are hoping that this will happen in the UK.
APD is calculated according to how far away the capital of a country is from the United Kingdom. Though Florida and Hawaii are located further from the UK, the country's capital New York is closer than many Caribbean capital cities, so passengers taking flights to the Caribbean are charged more.
The cost of the air tax for a family of four flying to destinations such as the United States or Egypt has risen from £240 to £260, and the same family taking holidays in the Caribbean or South Africa will now have to pay £324, compared to the previous £300.
"The goal of our campaign is simple: to secure the support of 100,000 people," stated Darren Caplan, the Chief Executive of the AOA.
"We are encouraging anyone who believes the UK's APD is now too high to visit the campaign website – www.afairtaxonflying.org- and spend a few seconds writing to their MP. With a double inflation APD rise now in place and further rises planned, it is imperative that the travelling public makes its voice heard in this important debate. We're helping passengers to send a message to the Treasury loud and clear that APD is too high."
The rise in APD has affected tourism in many countries and many regions such as the Caribbean heavily depend on the income generated from travellers visiting the islands. If fewer travellers from the UK book holidays to the Caribbean, local companies such as tourist attractions, restaurants, tour operators and Caribbean hotels and resorts could lose vital business.
If your holidays have been affected by the rise in APD tax you can make a contribution, make a formal complaint, join thousands of other concerned travellers and have your voice heard by signing the online petition at afairtaxonflying.org or liking their Facebook page facebook.com/afairtaxonflying.
The campaign is hoping to gain at least 100,000 supporters this summer who will contact their MPs to demand a review on the rising cost of Air Passenger Duty (APD). The rise affects the cost of Caribbean holidays and flights to long haul destination such as Australia, South America and South Africa.
In March this year, the British chancellor, George Osborne, announced in his Budget speech that APD would be increasing by a further eight per cent from April, 2012.
The campaign is helping travellers become aware of the effects that the APD rise is having on the travel industry throughout the world and it is urging people to support them and contact their MPs so that the issue can be reviewed by the government.
The Head of Public Affairs at ABTA, Luke Pollard, explained: "Higher and higher flight taxes make well-earned holidays more expensive and make British goods and services more costly than our competitors. At a time when the country desperately needs more jobs and growth taxes like APD makes economic recovery harder not easier.
"If the Government is serious about economic growth, then as a first step it should commission a study into the impacts of this tax on our economy. Holidaymakers and business travellers can join the call for this study by lobbying their MP.
He added that other European counties who had reviewed their APD had theirs reduced or removed and campaigners are hoping that this will happen in the UK.
APD is calculated according to how far away the capital of a country is from the United Kingdom. Though Florida and Hawaii are located further from the UK, the country's capital New York is closer than many Caribbean capital cities, so passengers taking flights to the Caribbean are charged more.
The cost of the air tax for a family of four flying to destinations such as the United States or Egypt has risen from £240 to £260, and the same family taking holidays in the Caribbean or South Africa will now have to pay £324, compared to the previous £300.
"The goal of our campaign is simple: to secure the support of 100,000 people," stated Darren Caplan, the Chief Executive of the AOA.
"We are encouraging anyone who believes the UK's APD is now too high to visit the campaign website – www.afairtaxonflying.org- and spend a few seconds writing to their MP. With a double inflation APD rise now in place and further rises planned, it is imperative that the travelling public makes its voice heard in this important debate. We're helping passengers to send a message to the Treasury loud and clear that APD is too high."
The rise in APD has affected tourism in many countries and many regions such as the Caribbean heavily depend on the income generated from travellers visiting the islands. If fewer travellers from the UK book holidays to the Caribbean, local companies such as tourist attractions, restaurants, tour operators and Caribbean hotels and resorts could lose vital business.
If your holidays have been affected by the rise in APD tax you can make a contribution, make a formal complaint, join thousands of other concerned travellers and have your voice heard by signing the online petition at afairtaxonflying.org or liking their Facebook page facebook.com/afairtaxonflying.
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