United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
UK trims tax on long-haul flights
A move by the UK government to introduce a single tax band for all long-haul flights will reduce the cost of flying from the UK to many destinations including Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Chancellor George Osborne announced in this week’s Budget statement that from April 1 next year all long-haul flights would be taxed at the same rate as flights to the United States, which are in the B tax band. He is ditching the higher C and D bands.
Osborne acknowledged that it was “crazy” that passengers were taxed more for flying to India or China than those flying to Hawaii and he admitted the tax was hitting exports, deterring tourists and creating “a sense of injustice” within Britain’s Asian and Caribbean communities.
Cressida Sergeant, spokeswoman for TravelSupermarket, said: “We very much welcome the announcement that all long-haul travel will now be subject to the band B rate of £67 per person departing from the UK.
“Currently a family of four will pay a total of £376 in APD charges for a flight to band D destinations such as Australia or New Zealand. As a band B destination, this will reduce to £268, a total saving of £108.
“This is good news for both UK residents travelling to long-haul destinations and for visitors to the UK who are flying onto destinations previous within bands C and D.”
Ian Jarrett
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
Storm Lilian travel chaos as bank holiday flights cancelled