ABTA launches campaign against air tax
ABTA has launched a campaign to stop further rises in air passenger duty (APD), which is due to go up on November 1.
The association is calling on members of the public to write to their MPs to block the increase, which ABTA says will have a particularly dramatic effect on the cost of flying to the Caribbean.
Its call came as Virgin Atlantic announced it was adding additional flights from Gatwick and Manchester to the Caribbean for winter 2011/12, with extra services to Barbados, Cuba, Tobago and Grenada.
From November 1, APD on flights to the Caribbean will rise from £50 to £75. A family of four will have to pay an additional £100.
ABTA head of public affairs Luke Pollard said: "Flying should not be the preserve of the rich and nor should it become more expensive for Brits to visit friends and family in the Caribbean.
"Raising taxes on flying harms tourism and damages the economies of Caribbean islands at the very time that they need help the most.
"The government proposes doubling taxes on flying over the next five years. This will have a devastating effect on Caribbean tourism, the economies in the Caribbean and the ability of Britons to visit family and friends on the islands.
"It is time the government thought again about hiking aviation taxes."
Virgin Atlantic will add a second weekly flight from Gatwick to Tobago and Grenada in October next year and a second weekly flight from Manchester to Barbados starting in November 2011. It will also have an extra Saturday service from Gatwick to Havana from November 2011.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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