Are we an industry of paper tigers?

UK airports list lost routes due to APD levels; Government is ‘out of touch’ over APD; Flybe blames APD for 300 job cuts; Industry outcry after Minister’s warning about APD campaign; Airlines call for end to APD ‘nonsense’ as Budget approaches; Scrapping APD would generate more tax and 60,000 jobs; yah de yah de yah de yah.

These are the headlines from the last three months but yesterday the chancellor has had his say, or indeed lack of it in the case of APD, and the travel industry will be hit as from April with even more tax. Is anyone genuinely surprised?

It would appear so judging from our poll, where the majority thought that he would be for turning on this matter, but alas not. I sometimes think that the industry needs a severe anatomical check on its arse and elbow because it can’t apparently tell the difference between the two. There was no way on heaven or earth that any changes would be made.

The history of APD so far has seen lots of academic research to show what a bad tax it is, lots of empirical evidence to say that the exchequer would gain even more revenue if it were to cut the tax, lots of glad handing and back slapping in the corridors of SW1 and lots of broken promises.

I first became aware of the tax some years ago when trying to get the ministers in the Caribbean to act upon it when still in its infancy but to little avail. My colleague Pippa from TTG and I were busy getting signatures for petitions but it got scant if little support. Next were the whispers that when the Conservatives got into power they would see their way to easing back on APD – wrong. Then there was the news that the government wanted some research and an alternative policy which they duly got. Did it change their minds? Nope.

So what have we done? We have, of course, carried on with even more research and more moaning and groaning and a distinct lack of action. We are an industry of paper tigers. If we were from an agricultural background, Heathrow and Gatwick would have been barricaded years ago. The travel industry has done nothing more radical than get people to sign and register their dismay in a letter. Will a chancellor who prides himself on disdain and aloofness bother with that? Not likely, but the government does have a history of changing its mind when issues get into the wider public domain.

If you went down to your local pub and asked people if they had ever heard of APD how many do you think would be aware of it and its destructive nature? They need to be aware.

Why didn’t Usain Bolt use his power to show how much damage APD is doing to his homeland? Why don’t we put the Jolly Boys reggae band at the end of Downing Street? Why doesn’t Rihanna show her support when on stage? How many airlines are involved in sports sponsorship? Why don’t Arsenal players warm up in anti APD shirts at the Emirates? I came up with these ideas in about three minutes flat and surely if we got five people in a room they could come up with more and form a realistic campaign? But therein lies the real issue, as I suspect getting five people in a room with like minds and a determination to be radical, is not an easy task.

The likely scenario is that we will roll over, accept and do nothing, just like a paper tiger.

Graham McKenzie, TravelMole.com