Mark Tanzer, ABTA CEO said: “APD remains a major issue for Northern Ireland businesses who have to compete directly with departures from across the border as well as unfairly penalising people in NI who may need air travel to visit families. Abolishing APD on long haul flights to and from NI was a direct acknowledgement of the damaging impact of this tax. It is a logical next step to now abolish this tax on short haul flights, which account for the vast majority of NI departures, and we welcome the Committee’s recommendation to do this. We recognize the pressures on HM Treasury but APD is not the answer to reducing the deficit and we strongly encourage the Government to scrap the tax based on the Committee’s recommendations.”

We also welcome the Committee’s recommendations to ring-fence slots at Heathrow for flights to and from Northern Ireland and improve ground access to airports.  Connectivity is the lifeblood of the NI economy and it’s essential that it has a healthy and robust aviation industry that serves the needs of families and businesses alike.”