FIGHT APD CHANGES - SIGN UP TO TRAVELMOLE PETITION

TravelMole is to take the fight against rises in Air Passenger Duty to Number 10.

Following across the board travel industry condemnation of the move to a four-tier air tax from November 1, 2009, TravelMole is today urging the trade to sign up to our online petition calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to rethink.

The announcement in Chancellor Alistair Darling's pre-Budget Report to completely revise APD will see large-scale increases for all passengers flying 2,000 miles or more.

Passengers flying in economy class beyond EEA countries will see APD rise from the current £40 to a maximum of £85 by 2010/11, and those flying in all other cabin classes will see an increase from £80 to a maximum of £170 over the corresponding period.

ABTA was dismayed that passengers flying to Australia from 2009 will have to pay nearly 38% more than today, and 112% more in 2010/11.

The association warned that the increase will put off travellers to destinations such as the Caribbean and Kenya, whose economies are highly dependent upon tourism, particularly from the UK.

The impact on inbound tourism to the UK from vital long haul destinations such as the US will also be severe, hitting the industry at a time of global economic turmoil.