Email From British Airways Regarding United Kingdom Airport Passenger Duty

[theoldgit]

I received the attached email from British Airways regarding the high cost of Airport Passenger Duty in the UK, could I ask that you take the time to read the email and visit the website, and if you feel strongly then please respond. http://www.afairtaxonflying.org/

I suspect that the voice of reason will fall on deaf ears, but I honestly believe we should make our views known.

Not strictly Thailand related, but a lot of us fly to and from the UK and are affected.

Thank you

Dear theoldgit,

As a frequent flyer, you will know as well as anyone that taxes on air travel are higher in the UK than anywhere else in the world - so I wanted to tell you about a campaign aimed at changing that.

In the last six years, Air Passenger Duty (APD) - the paid by airlines for each passenger departing a UK airport - has risen more than 300 per cent on many routes - while inflation has increased barely 20 per cent.

Some customers are now paying £184 for a single journey, while the cost for families taking their annual holiday has sky-rocketed: In 2006, a family of four flying from the UK to the Caribbean would pay £80 in APD - today they would pay £324 in World Traveller, or £648 in World Traveller Plus, Club World, or First.

This level of increase has no justification and no international parallel. Yet the UK Government has firm plans to keep on raising APD every year to 2017.

This tax also acts as a brake on growth and jobs for the whole economy by making it more difficult for businesses to reach new markets, and making the UK less attractive to overseas visitors.

How can you help? Just take a few seconds to visit www.afairtaxonflying.org and click on "Not a UK Resident?". This will generate an automatic letter to the UK minister responsible for APD, George Osborne, calling for action on a tax that is now far too high and inflicting real damage on the UK's efforts to move out of recession. Add your name, send and you're done.

This is an important campaign - and I hope you will support us in it.

Best wishes,

Keith Williams,

British Airways CEO

[beano2274]

Was just about to post about it as well, lucky my computer messed up and it did not get posted, as too many posts about the same thing might cause confusion.

[madmitch]

Thanks for this.

Responded and sent to most of my email contacts.

[WilliaminBKK]

Fantastic thank you for posting, I've done my part and sent it off to 40 or 50 folks I know will sign it. My MP is a feckless XXXX but we'll see.

It is much more than our bums back and forth to the UK, it is TRADE.

Edited August 28, 2012 by WilliaminBKK

[Paul888]

It does seem a worthwhile exercise, but is almost certainly just pissing in the wind.

[theoldgit]

@ Paul888

I agree it's worth a shot, but you're probably correct in the view that it's pissing in the wind.

However this doesn't just effect ex-pats it effects the Great British Public who are already being hit every which way, as well as businesses and potential tourists.

This government, and indeed the last, don't have a good track record of listening to the voice of reason, unlike the Dutch who abandoned the policy as being self defeating.

With the projected income of £3.8bn by 2015-16 and with the state of the UK's coffers, I cannot see them turning off this easy cash cow any time soon.

[Boater]

I signed up and the sent an automated email to my local mp and I got a response the next morning !

Thank you for contacting me about Air Passenger Duty and the ‘A fair tax on flying’ petition.

With the UK paying over £120 million every day on debt interest payments alone, APD makes an important contribution to reducing the nation’s deficit and this must be taken into account.

Last year the Government launched a consultation on APD to improve the fairness and efficiency of the system. Ministers recognise the importance of the aviation industry which is why the Budget in 2011 announced APD would be frozen for 2011-12 and the rise would take place this April instead. I do of course recognise the impact this tax has on the cost of family holidays, especially at a time when household spending is being stretched.

I know that the Chancellor is aware of the broader points you make, many of which come within the scope of the consultation

To ensure fairness, Ministers have closed a loophole so that from April 2013, business jet passengers will also have to pay this tax.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

Yours sincerely

[Rinrada]

This has already gone over 100,000 sigs and will be discussed in parliament.

Just another example of RIP OFF Britain..init

The Con Dem Government attitude is that they will get as much money by taxing anything that they can get away with.

Spoke to my MP last week and as a bit of a toady he confirmed,fully agrees with policy and...... toes the line.