Operator says charge would be more effective than air passenger duty
The airports operator BAA believes that air passenger duty (APD) should be abolished and replaced with a tax on aircraft that create the most pollution, according to a report in today’s Daily Telegraph.
The newspaper reports that BAA, which operates seven airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, says carriers should be penalised if their aircraft create more pollution that they should; it already makes extra charges for aircraft that flout noise restrictions. BAA has come up with the proposal in response to the Government, which is looking for ways for the aviation industry “ to meet the external costs of its activities”.
The Telegraph reports BAA’s submission thus: “Charges related to aircraft emissions may encourage the faster take-up of lower-emissions technology and provide a clear incentive to airlines to accelerate the replacement of older aircraft with more modern, cleaner aircraft.”
A spokeswoman reportedly told the newspaper: “One of the possibilities is that BAA would collect it for the Government but we haven’t really gone into that. It’s about the principle of charging more for dirty planes.”
