Northern Ireland despatches long haul APD

Commencing January 2013 in a move that is being closely watched in Scotland and how it might affect the forthcoming referendum, passengers taking direct long haul flights from Belfast will no longer have to pay Air Passenger Duty following the partial devolution of powers to the Northern Ireland Executive.

Commencing January 2013 in a move that is being closely watched in Scotland and how it might affect the forthcoming referendum, passengers taking direct long haul flights from Belfast will no longer have to pay Air Passenger Duty.

Last year the Department for Transport (DfT) cut the APD rates paid on long haul flights out of Northern Ireland to the same level as short haul services, and also announced plans to devolve powers on the setting of long haul APD charges from Westminster to the Northern Ireland Executive. 

At the present time the only beneficiaries are United Airlines’ passengers to Newark New York but the situation will clearly be monitored by other carriers who are forced to charge £65 taxes in Economy and £130 in Business Class on similar flights to destinations whose capitals are up to 4,000 miles from London.

Passengers pay a charge of just €3 in Air Travel Tax (ATT) for flights departing from Dublin.

United Airlines (previously operating as Continental prior to the merger of the two airlines) currently operates long haul services from Belfast to New York. www.niassembly.gov.uk www.dft.gov.uk

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