Call on your MP to support the Fair Tax on Flying campaign

The leading names in the UK travel and tourism industry announced on 3 March that they are uniting for the first time behind a campaign calling for a Fair Tax on Flying from the UK Government.

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.

To highlight the industry’s concerns to Parliamentarians and to the Government, we are asking for your help to lobby your local MP.

Can you write to your local MPs to express your concern and direct their attention to the Fair Tax on Flying campaign page on Facebook www.facebook.com/afairtaxonflying?

Here’s how you can lobby your MP to call for a Fairer Tax on Flying:

1. Find your MP:

You can find your local MP by entering your postcode on
http://findyourmp.parliament.uk

2. Send a letter:

Using the template letter below, write to or email your MP expressing your concern about the current level of aviation tax levied by the UK Government. Remember to tell them how many people work in your office and that you will be writing to the campaign.

3. Let us know their response:

When the MP’s office does get in touch, please can you send a copy of the correspondence to Lisa Glasspool lglasspool@abta.co.uk 020 3117 0586 at ABTA. This helps us understand which MPs support us and where we need to focus our efforts.

There is a travel agent or tour operator in every constituency in the country and if only a small number of agents and operators get involved with this campaign it will make a big difference to its success in taking the message for a Fair Tax on Flying to Parliament.

Thank you.

For further information please contact Stephen D’Alfonso on 020 3117 0561.