Cheapflights.co.uk has backed a Travel Mole petition against the government’s proposed increases in Air Passenger Duty (APD).
The independent travel website, which helps consumers find flight deals, is calling on the aviation industry to sign up to an online petition that urges Prime Minister Gordon Brown to rethink the taxation changes.
The ADP proposals, which were announced in Alistair Darling’s pre-budget report, will increase tax on flights to long haul destinations by more than 50 per cent by 2010.
Chris Cuddy, Cheapflights’ chief executive, described the tax as “regressive” and believes that it will hurt consumers as well as “damage developing countries” that are reliant on tourism.
He said: “APD harms Britain’s economy since travel contributes significantly to the UK’s gross domestic product and is a major UK employer.”
Mr Cuddy also rejected government claims that the tax is for environmental reasons, highlighting that it will lead to environmentally inefficient empty planes.
