Convention Special: Let’s stand together, BA tells ABTA
British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh made an impassioned plea to the travel trade to create a united front in the fight against air passenger duty during his speech at Malta’s ABTA convention this morning.
He told the packed house: “As we struggle to agree on what to do about this unfair and extortionate tax, the government is smiling at our lack of coordination."
Walsh called on ABTA to reconsider its campaign for the passenger tax to be replaced with a per plane levy, which has won the support of low-cost airline easyJet.
He told ABTA delegates: “We applaud your campaign against this tax that is so damaging to the UK economy and emerging economies but we call on you to reconsider the per plane levy that we feel will have even more damaging effects both economically and environmentally.
“Let’s be united against these taxes and do not allow our differences to divide us. Let’s fight together.”
Walsh also criticised the government’s anti-growth strategy at Heathrow, saying it would not halt air travel expansion but simply push it elsewhere.
“There seems to be a view here that if you stop growing Heathrow then somehow you are going to make a difference to global climate change," said Walsh. "In fact, the growth in air travel will always increase but it will move out of London.”
Asked whether the real reason for BA’s merger with Iberia was so that BA could develop Madrid as a hub, Walsh said: “Other airports and countries understand the importance of investing in capacity and thereby increasing a country’s global connectivity.
"My preference is to grow our business in London but if Heathrow is full, we will start to look more at Gatwick and City to grow our presence.”
By Dinah Hatch
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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