Anti-APD campaign gets off to a flying start
More than 1,100 travellers have emailed their MPs to protest against rising levels of Air Passenger Duty within just 24 hours of an appeal from the industry.
The Fair Tax on Flying group is aiming to persuade 100,000 people to support its battle against APD by sending an email to register their protest.
The lobbying group, which comprises more than 30 airlines, airports, tour operators and trade bodies, has unveiled a new website – www.afairtaxonflying.org.
A template text is on the website so all visitors need to do is enter their postcode and email address to submit the email.
Darren Caplan, chief executive of the AOA, said: "We’re delighted that the campaign has made such a strong start with over 1,100 emails sent to MPs on the first day alone. But there is still a long, long way to go and we need many more people to spend just a few seconds visiting www.afairtaxonflying.org and sending the email template to their MP to tell them that APD is now too high.
"It’s not until tens of thousands of people have sent the email that MPs will have to take notice of their constituents. Our ultimate ambition is for 100,000 people to write to their MP, so please spend just a few seconds supporting our campaigning and making your voice heard. We need your support to make this campaign a success."
The campaign group has also created a dedicated Facebook page www.facebook.com/afairtaxonflying to raise awareness of the tax and allow consumers to register their views.
by Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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