Air Passenger Duty

New APD (Air Passenger Duty) rates came into effect from 1 April.  The tax bands have been reduced from four to two, with the cut-off point 2,000 miles, meaning that Nicosia (Cyprus), part of Europe (2021 miles), misses out on the cheap rate. 

For reasons of his own the Chancellor still taxes UK domestic passengers for return British internal flights (with certain exceptions), whilst people going to France or Holland only pay the outgoing tax. 

The tax on children under 12 will be abolished from 1 May.  If you have already paid the tax and travelling on that day onwards you can claim the money back from your airline.  Since children cannot go out to work until they are 16 the tax seems punitive and unfair.

Passengers on aircraft which have two classes, but the superior option less than 40” will pay at the lower rate.  This primarily affects Monarch, Thomas Cook and Thomson.

The new rates are (lowest class/other classes).
Up to 2,000 miles £13/£26
2001 miles and over £71/£142
www.gov.uk/air-passenger-duty#rates

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

From the Editor,

The tax is from capital to capital. In fact with domestic routes it is London to London meaning no tax at all. Over to the aviation lawyers

Richard Dawnay, Ryde

Two points: 1. Why only 'Airport tax'. Why not Harbour Tax, Station Tax, Bus Station Tax. Or better still, no tax. Why peanalise air transport? 2. Which operator flies to Nicosia? Ghost Airways? Both could be vote winners!!!