Dearer flights as Air Passenger Duty increased
FLIGHTS got costlier for millions of Britons yesterday when higher rates of the Air Passenger Duty (APD) airport departure tax take effect. The increase will mean a family of four flying in economy class to Florida will now be paying a total of £268 in APD.
Airlines, airports and holiday companies had all urged Chancellor George Osborne to scrap the increase to a tax which has soared since it was first introduced in 1994. But in hard economic times, the Government has shown no signs of ending, or easing the burden on, a tax that brings in large amounts of revenue.
The cost per passenger in economy class on flights of less than 2,000 miles in length remains unchanged at £13.
But APD on flights of between 2,001 and 4,000 miles, which includes North American and Middle East trips, increased yesterday from £65 to £67 for economy passengers.