Air passenger duty tax criticised in the UK

Ryanair has warned that the Government’s “suicidal” £10 air passenger duty (APD) is hurting British tourism.

Stephen McNamara, a Ryanair spokesman, said: “Gordon Brown should now follow the example of the Belgian, Dutch, Greek and Spanish governments, stop taxing tourists and start welcoming them. Britain’s traffic and tourism losses will continue to collapse if the Government's £10 APD tourist tax is not scrapped urgently.” 

The Government, according to telegraph.co.uk, is planning to implement a rise in APD from November, with short-haul flights increasing from £10 to £11 and then to £12 next year. Long-haul flights will also increase, with the top rate up from £80 to £170 by 2010-11. 

Meanwhile, Sir Richard Branson’s airline Virgin Atlantic is to put a message on all its e-tickets criticising the planned hike in the APD airport departure tax.

The message will also ask passengers to visit a new website so they can protest to their local MP about the APD increases.

Sir Richard said APD was “one of the most unjust taxes out there” and there was nothing to suggest the £2 billion currently raised was going towards green causes.