ABTA has written to the Treasury asking for more detail on its planned changes to the way Air Passenger Duty is charged following the pre-Budget announcement yesterday.
It said it wants to see the proposals, in detail, and has written to the Treasury.
ABTA’s head of policy David Marshall said: “We have contacted The Treasury asking them for details of the proposed fight tax.
“There are a number of questions we want answering, for example, will the flight tax replace APD, if not why not? At what level will the flight tax be levied? How will the flight tax be collected?
“Once again the aviation and tourism industry has been targeted by this Government, last year it was doubling of APD, in 2009 a flight tax. Let’s get the answers to our questions.”
Meanwhile, BAR UK, a group which represents the interests of the British airline industry, said APD already raises around £2.5 billion every year, without any of it being used for environmental purposes.
“This new flight tax seems to be more of the same,” said chief executive Mike Carrivick.
“The ongoing Aviation Emissions Costs consultation is in the process of measuring how much aviation is already paying its way through APD, added to which is the planned EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
“As and when that is introduced, airlines will expect to see APD, or this successor, terminated.”
By Bev Fearis
