Passengers pay five times more APD at UK airports
Passengers are paying on average five times more in APD when they leave a UK airport than in European countries charging a similar tax.
According to research by the Fair Tax on Flying campaign, UK passengers pay on average almost three and a half times more in air taxes than passengers in Germany and on average, almost 30 times more than those in France.
For short-haul flights to destinations primarily within Europe, UK passengers pay three times more in air departure taxes than other European countries that levy a tax.
For mid-haul flights to destinations such as Israel and Dubai, UK passengers pay almost seven times more in air departure taxes than other European countries that levy a tax.
And for long haul it is more than five times more.
Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said: "These figures illustrate starkly the extent to which passengers from UK airports are paying a premium compared with people flying from other airports across Europe.
"It’s impossible not to conclude that APD makes the UK less competitive. This is adversely impacting our connectivity, making it harder for businesses to access overseas markets, and damaging our all-important tourism sector."
ABTA CEO Mark Tanzer added: "The Government’s recent reduction in the tax for long-haul routes was a step in the right direction but there is still a huge disparity in the levels of air tax UK passengers are paying compared with our European neighbours."
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