The government has increased the Air Passenger Duty tax (APD) by around 8 per cent, the move came into effect from 1 April.
Passengers who are already struggling to cope with rising living costs have been further stung by the increased tax. The move comes just days before the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, when thousands of holidaymakers are expected to take to the skies for a break.
The increase will mean that a family of four flying to Florida will now have to fork out £260 in APD. A family of four heading off to Australia will have to shell out £368 in tax.
Airlines have attacked the move and are urging the government to re-think the increase. A statement from the bosses of easyJet, Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways’ parent company IAG claim that the increase would “hit millions of hard-working families and damage the wider economy.”
“We urge George Osborne to make APD the first tax to be examined under the Treasury’s new review of the wider impacts of taxation on the economy and to halt the proposed rise until this review is complete.”
The tax on short-haul flights has now increased from £12 to £13. The APD on long-haul flights of more than 4,000 miles has jumped from £85 to £92!
Only five European countries levy any form of aviation tax and Britain is by far the highest, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).
Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, has called the increase “incredibly disappointing.”
