47 Air passenger duty

Submitted by British Air Line Pilots’ Association

Congress notes the Government’s decision to increase drastically the rates of air passenger duty (APD) from November 2009 onwards. This will mean that next winter a family of four flying to a popular tourist destinations (such as the Caribbean or South Africa) will pay £300 in duty alone.

Congress further notes that in July 2008 the Dutch Government introduced a similar tax to APD, yet abolished it with effect from July 2009 when economic research commissioned by the Dutch travel and tourism industry found a loss of 10 per cent in passengers at Dutch airports, with a reduction in revenue for the industry of ?1.2 billion/annum.

Congress believes that:

i) such a regressive tax will hit hard-working families the hardest

ii) the impact of the duty on an already fragile industry will be extremely serious

iii) there is a significant threat of the export of jobs to hub airports in neighbouring countries

iv) climate change is an international occurrence, and as such the correct way to combat it would be to develop a global emissions-trading scheme.

Congress therefore resolves to campaign against the increases in air passenger duty.