Industry hits back at Tory plans for ‘green’ air tax
The travel industry has come out in force against new environmental taxes being proposed by the Conservative party.
Unveiling the proposals, shadow chancellor George Osborne said they were designed to target frequent travellers but not families taking one package holiday a year.
The plans include a ‘Green Air Miles Allowance’, where everyone would be able to take one short-haul flight at the standard rate of aviation tax, but frequent flyers would pay a higher rate.
Other proposals being put forward are a fuel duty or VAT on domestic flights, or replacing Air Passenger Duty with a per-flight tax linked to carbon emissions.
But travel industry bodies say the taxes would damage the UK economy and wrongly penalise the aviation sector.
Federation of Tour Operators director general Andy Cooper said aviation was only responsible for 6% of carbon emissions in the UK and 1.5% worldwide.
“It’s just completely over the top and unnecessary,” he said. “If these proposals were directed at the cost of electricity, gas and motors, I would have more sympathy.
“To say that families won’t be affected is fine in theory, but the industry has moved on so much that people don’t just take one package holiday a year.”
A spokeswoman for ABTA said: “There seems to be a lot of headline grabbing going on here. VAT on domestic fuel for flights is just not workable. We don’t want to see a decrease in passenger numbers overseas. We might want to slow down the rate of growth, but none of these proposals will do that. We need to be consulted very thoroughly on this.”
Tom Jenkins, executive director of the European Tour Operators Association said: “The problem with so much of the environmental campaign is that the only solution it sees to dealing with climate change is to stop people from travelling and from undertaking all kinds of commerce that make the world go round. It’s like advocating amputation as the cure to a septic finger.
“What we need is much more enlightened thinking that simultaneously stimulates reduction in CO2 emissions and productive innovation. The focus should be on technological advancement and alternative sources of fuel rather than punitive taxation that will destroy the economy.”
Airlines, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Easjyet, also voiced their opposition to the proposals, which are now up for consultation.
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.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports