29 Oct
2018

ABTA responds to the Chancellor’s Budget measures on air passenger duty

The Chancellor announced in the Budget 2018 that air passenger duty will be frozen for short-haul flights and increase for long haul air travel.
 
Responding to the announcement, Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive of ABTA – The Travel Association said:
 
“While we recognise that the Chancellor’s freeze on short-haul air passenger duty will come as some relief to the industry, another inflationary increase for long-haul will further reduce the UK’s international competitiveness, particularly at a time when Brexit means the UK should be seeking to establish new links with destinations across the world.
 
“We urge the Chancellor to commission detailed economic modelling, and to consider cutting APD, at the earliest opportunity, to boost the UK economy.”
 
 
For further information, contact:
020 3117 0596 or press@abta.co.uk
Out of Hours:  Contact the Duty Press Officer via pager: 07623 951 339
Web: www.abta.com
Twitter: @ABTAtravel
 
Notes to editors
ABTA has been a trusted travel brand for over 65 years. Our purpose is to help our Members to grow their businesses successfully and sustainably, and to help their customers travel with confidence.
The ABTA brand stands for support, protection and expertise. This means consumers have confidence in ABTA and a strong trust in ABTA Members. These qualities are core to us as they ensure that holidaymakers remain confident in the holiday products that they buy from our Members.
 
We help our Members and their customers navigate through today's changing travel landscape by raising standards in the industry; offering schemes of financial protection; providing an independent complaints resolution service should something go wrong; giving guidance on issues from sustainability to health and safety and by presenting a united voice to government to ensure the industry and the public get a fair deal.
 
ABTA currently has around 1,200 Members, with a combined annual UK turnover of £38 billion. For more details about what we do, what being an ABTA Member means and how we help the British public travel with confidence visit www.abta.com.