Prices of UK flights will be raised significantly

The intended increase of levies on plane tickets for UK flights will soon come into effect. Prices for British flights will be raised significantly as a result. The increase of the so-called Air Passenger Duty will make British air levies the highest in the entire world.

Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said: "These year-on-year rises in APD are fundamentally damaging the UK’s competitiveness. Recent World Economic Forum figures show we are now 139th out of 140 countries in the world for ticket taxes and airport charges - only Chad was placed lower."

Increase Air Passenger Duties for UK flights

The increase in duty is the fifth consecutive one; in Britain levies have increased further every year. These tax rises will mean that plane tickets for UK flights will become significantly more expensive once again. For instance, a family of four flying from the UK may have to pay as much as 380 pounds (445 euros) more than previously. This highest class of duty will only become effective for destinations outside the EU, however; for flights travelling within Europe, ticket prices will not be raised. But a four-person trip to New York will ring up an additional 222 pounds, and flying to the Caribbean will cost that same family 334 pounds more than it would have before. A flight to Australia would really become quite an expensive affair, costing 380 pounds more in levies.

Reaction aviation industry APD rises

Dale Keller, chief executive of the Board of Airline Representatives, also isn't pleased with the Air Passengers Duty being raised. "We have listened to the English Government too many times when they say that the UK is facing a global economic race and that it's important that we are able to compete. Yet the Government seems single-minded in its desire to clip the wings of an industry that continues to be one of our remaining success stories and which funds its own infrastructure. APD started out as a small tax with supposed environmental credentials but has grown into a monster that is more ‘user pays twice’ than ‘user pays’. It’s time to end this nonsense."

Written by: Team Flight-Delayed