Cut air tax, says business travel body, but only to key destinations
The Guild of Travel Management Companies is pressing the government to reduce air passenger duty on flights to key long-haul destinations.
Chief executive Paul Wait has suggested to MPs that destinations with which it wants more trade should be shifted from the more expensive C and D bands into Band B.
That would result in a reduction of up to £112 per passenger following the tax increases in April.
Speaking after the GMTC’s annual general meeting, Wait said destinations to where the tax should be lowered include Brazil, India, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Mexico, Indonesia and Nigeria.
While he said GTMC remained a supporter of the ABTA-led Fair Tax on Flying, which is campaigning for an overall reduction in APD, Wait said he’d been warned by a senior member of government "not to push too hard".
"There are barricades across the Treasury," said Wait, but he added that MPs he had talked to about reducing APD only for certain destinations had agreed the idea was "interesting".
"MPs have welcomed the fact that it is a different view and maybe in nine months time someone inside the ring of power will come up with the idea as their own!"
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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