Ryanair slams APD freeze as half-measure
Ryanair criticised the Chancellor’s Budget pledge to boost the UK economy through the reduction of corporation tax without axing what it described as ‘unjustified and unfair tourist taxes’ as ‘economic half measures’.
While it welcomed the Government’s freeze of air passenger duty, the airline said Chancellor George Osborne should have used his Budget to scrap the ‘anti-jobs tax’ entirely.
It pointed out that the Belgian, Dutch, Greek and Spanish governments have already axed aviation taxes and said the UK should do the same to boost jobs.
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: “Today’s budget proves that yet another UK government has no tourism policy. The reduction in corporation tax to boost the economy without a move to axe the suicidal tourist tax is an economic half measure of the highest order.
"If the UK government really wants to boost the economy it can do so instantly by scrapping the suicidal £12 tourist tax and allowing airlines to grow UK traffic and tourism.
"It is regrettable that this Govt didn’t have the vision to go the whole way and scrap this stupid tourist tax rather than simply freezing it.”
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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