Scottish Government ‘kicking the can down the road’ over air tax
Scottish agents have accused the country’s government of using delay tactics on plans to cut air tax.
Plans for Scotland to have its own departure tax, at half the current UK-wide Air Passenger Duty, have been delayed again, this time until 2020.
The move has already faced numerous delays due to legal complications relating to problems with state aid rules.
Scottish ministers now say the devolved Air Departure Tax (ADT) will not be introduced until next April at the earliest.
Ken McLeod, president of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, said the travel sector considered the latest as a blow but said it wasn’t entirely surprised.
He believes the Scottish Government is ‘kicking the can down the road’ by holding off and called for a more entrepreneurial approach.
"The Republic of Ireland divested itself of the dreaded air tax in 2011, which affected Northern Ireland to such an extent the UK Government reduced tax to zero in 2013 on direct long-haul flights," said McLeod.
"Ryanair has just reduced its next winter schedule out of Belfast because of the tax still remaining on short haul. So, ways can be found to get around several challenges and the Scottish Government needs to be more entrepreneurial in its approach to tackle the issue.
"Airlines will invest in Scotland if we reduce or remove the tax, and despite Brexit we still need to plan for the future. The Government still needs to look beyond the short term and think of the long term health of our economy and our tourism industry."
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.
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