How will the new increase in UK green air tax affect tourism in poorer countries?
Question by Richie: How will the new increase in UK green air tax affect tourism in poorer countries?
“Air Passenger Tax is paid by all travellers on leaving Britain, with the world split into four bands.
The division includes some anomalies. For instance, all of America is in Band B, whose rate will increase from £45 per person to £60 for those flying economy, or rise from £90 to £120 for those in any other class, including premium economy.
However, the Caribbean is in Band C along with most of south-east Asia and South America. This is despite it being closer to Britain than the west coast of America.
In Band C, duty will go up from £50 to £75 per person. This means a family of four flying to the Caribbean will have to pay £300 in duty compared with the current rate of £200, or £160 last year.
Band D duty will rise from £55 to £85. A retired couple visiting grandchildren in Australia, for example, and flying in premium economy class would, from Monday, pay £340, up from £220. ”
Julie Southern, Virgin Atlantic’s chief commercial officer, said: “Holidays are an essential part of our lives and are valued even more in these difficult economic times. With passengers now being asked to pay up to 10 times more tax since the air duty’s introduction, the annual family holiday will become unaffordable for many.”
“Manny Fontenla-Novoa, Thomas Cook Group’s chief executive, said the company was disappointed that the Government had continued with its plans to increase the duty.
“There is no evidence of this tax having any environmental benefit,” he said. “We will continue to lobby on behalf of our holidaymakers.”
More here: ttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/air-passenger-duty/8095665/Tax-rise-will-end-benefits-brought-by-air-travel-warns-BA.html
Best answer:
Answer by Nasir Uddin
Lives could be saved with money lost to the ‘green’ air tax … I am disappointed in the complete lack of awareness of how this will affect the work of charities. … for poor countries to rely on the fickle tourism from rich countries. … to “rethink the proposals for a tax increase and the damage to the UK …
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CBUQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aef.org.uk%2F%3Fp%3D961&rct=j&q=How%20will%20the%20new%20increase%20in%20UK%20green%20air%20tax%20affect%20tourism%20in%20poorer%20countries%3F&ei=F_nLTKHnG5S7jAfMtYHYBw&usg=AFQjCNEYvLSRTGaCnlA0izGIumz3uKJgvQ&cad=rja
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2009
With aviation under-taxed to the extent of about £9 billion pa, an increase in APD (Air Passenger Duty) is well overdue. But now that an increase is imminent, there has been a predicable chorus of protest. The arguments against have been predictable and often bogus