Pilots Blog

Are airport passenger taxes fair?

The world's favourite airline, not BA but Ryanair, is to cut up to 40% of its UK flights this winter. Citing "unfair" passenger taxes or APD as they are known in the UK, the airline has declared that many UK routes are becoming uneconomical. Belgium, Holland, Greece and Spain have all reduced or scrapped similar airport passenger taxes to ease the pressure on the aviation and tourist industries and yesterday EasyJet joined the fray, calling the tax "certifiably bonkers". The UK Government has dressed up the tax as a "Green" measure, but EasyJet went on to point out, "As an environmental tax it is stupidity itself as it is a flat rate. A passenger flying on the most environmentally friendly aircraft will pay the same as one on a dirty old banger". Virgin and BA have also chipped in, with Sir Richard Branson calling it, "one of the most unjust taxes out there".

Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, enjoys having a pop at Gordon Brown and aircraft tend to be re-deployed during the winter months in any case. However, there's little doubt the UK Government could be more imaginative when it comes to a blanket tax for travellers, and the aviation industry, which is vital to the UK economy, could do with a bit of a lift.