APD campaign goes overseas
The Fair Tax on Flying campaign has achieved its target of more than 100,000 emails, but organisers say the fight is not yet over.
The campaign is now widening out to non-UK residents, following demand from overseas residents.
Launched eight weeks ago by key players in the travel industry, the campaign had set out to persuade people to email their MP calling for a Treasury review of the UK’s Air Passenger Duty.
It has been greeted with a groundswell of support, helped by Facebook, Twitter and other social media.
The campaign has gained the cross-party backing of 75 MPs from across the UK who signed Early Day Motion 174, including Chair of the Conservative 1922 Committee, Graham Brady MP and former Lib Dem Leader, Charles Kennedy.
But campaigners warned that the challenge now is to maintain the momentum and ensure that the grassroots opposition to APD is translated into more political pressure.
ABTA CEO Mark Tanzer said: "It’s time for the Government to listen to the many people who are so strongly opposed to paying the highest air passenger taxes in the world for their holidays, business flights and trips to visit friends and relatives abroad."
Campaign organisers are encouraging people to continue sending email to their MPs via www.afairtaxonflying.org.
They will decide in the coming weeks how the campaign will evolve as MPs gear up for the new Parliamentary session.
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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