ABTA is encouraging its Members and the wider industry, including staff working in the sector, to write to their MPs about the need to cut Air Passenger Duty (APD) in the upcoming Budget.

 

The UK’s APD is one of the highest in the world, and is the highest in Europe – double that of Germany.

 

ABTA is a founding member of the ‘A Fair Tax on Flying Campaign’ and has been working with campaign partners to continue to highlight to Government and parliamentarians the adverse effect  of such a high level of APD and the campaign’s ask to cut APD by 50%.

 

A recent industry report* revealed that over 65 potential new air links from the UK have been lost as a result of APD - routes that could have been viable without the burden of APD.

 

The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, will deliver the Government’s Budget on Monday 29 October 2019.

 

ABTA is encouraging its Members to write to their local MP to highlight the negative impact APD has on travel routes and costs. A template email is available from http://www.afairtaxonflying.org/find-your-mp/. The email asks the MP to write to the Chancellor urging him to cut APD in the Budget and register to support the campaign.

 

High profile MPs including Priti Patel – former Secretary of State for International Development – and Sir Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee, are already backing the campaign.

 

ABTA continues to believe that a 50% reduction in APD would deliver benefits to the UK economy and says that it is essential APD does not increase any further at this crucial time.

Luke Petherbridge, Senior Public Affairs Manager at ABTA said:

 

“This Budget is an opportunity for Government to support holidaymakers and businesses travellers, as well as sending a strong message that Britain is open for business by cutting APD. 

“We strongly welcome the many steps taken in recent years to reduce the overall burden of APD on UK consumers and businesses – including removing bands C and D, the abolition of child APD, and more recently, the freeze on economy flights across both bands. But we still have one of the highest aviation taxes in the world which is a barrier to new routes and expensive for travellers.

 

“It’s important MPs understand the negatives impact of such a high level of APD. The industry can help make the case by getting behind the Fair Tax on Flying Campaign and contacting MPs.”

 

 

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

*Airlines UK report ‘The Impact Of Air Passenger Duty On Airline Route Economics’

 

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.