From Tuesday (1 March), changes by the Government to Air Passenger Duty (APD) will see children under the age of 16 exempt from paying the tax when travelling in economy class. APD is one of the highest taxes of its kind anywhere in the world, so this change will mean a fairer tax on flying for families. A family of four (with two children under 16) will save £26 on flights to Europe and £142 on flights to long-haul destinations such as the USA, Thailand and Australia.

Whilst this is undoubtedly good news for families and many of your customers, APD in the UK remains one of the highest taxes of its kind anywhere in the world. As part of A Fair Tax on Flying, we continue to call for a reduction in APD to at least half the current levels on short-haul and long-haul flights, which would boost the UK economy and support the UK’s £130 billion travel and tourism sector. We also want to ensure that the whole country benefits from a fairer tax on flying – a win for businesses, and a win for everyone having an annual holiday abroad.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive