Insurer warns passengers against tax-free flights
Passengers flying via European hubs to avoid paying UK air passenger duty are being warned they may not be fully protected by their travel insurance.
Insurance provider Essential Travel said that passengers flying via the Continent would not be covered if they missed their connecting flight as a result of their flight to Europe being delayed.
Essential's Stuart Bensusan said: "In the majority of cases, holiday makers are unlikely to be covered under their travel insurance if they miss their long-haul flight as a result of their first, short-haul flight being delayed – normally it's the initial international journey that is covered.”
More passengers could be tempted to take long-haul flights from a European hub rather than direct from the UK to avoid the latest increase in air passenger duty, which was confirmed by the Treasury yesterday.
From April 2012, the tax will rise by roughly 8%, twice the rate of inflation.
By Linsey McNeill
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
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 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt