United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
easyJet demands clarity over APD ‘tax trap’
EasyJet has urged Chancellor Gordon Brown to clarify tax rules for passengers who have already purchased flights for travel after February 1 when new Air Passenger Duty rates apply.
Millions of travellers have booked their flights at the previous levels of APD and are caught in a ‘tax trap’, according to the no-frills carrier.
The airline is urging the Chancellor to introduce the new regime for all tickets bought after February 1, 2007
“The arrangement for these passengers is unclear and any attempts to claw back tax could even be illegal under Section 30 of the Finance Act 1994,” the airline said.
“Not only are UK travellers affected but millions of inbound European tourists could get a nasty surprise when they arrive in the UK and are presented with another tax bill.”
Chief executive Andy Harrison said: “In his rush to grab the extra £1.2 billion of tax, the Chancellor has created confusion with millions of passengers facing a retroactive implementation of the increase in APD. The Chancellor’s proposal is akin to asking drinkers to pay extra tax on the wine which they bought a few weeks ago, but have not drunk yet.”
He added: “In his Pre-Budget Report, Gordon Brown mugged millions of air travellers and now has made the matter worse.
“As the Government have already acknowledged, APD is a blunt tax. We say that it is the wrong tax for the economy and the wrong tax for the environment. Not all airlines are the same.
“easyJet flies brand new aircraft with high passenger loads which mean that we emit 30% fewer emissions per passenger kilometre than a traditional airline.
“It is simply daft that our passengers should pay the same level of APD as the less efficient airlines and even dafter that freight aircraft that fly mange tout from Thailand are not being taxed at all.”
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel