APD increases tomorrow (1/11/09)!

Hate to be the bringer of bad news in case others were not already aware but the price you pay for air travel is set to get more expensive as Air Passenger Duty/APD tax (the Government’s so called “environmental tax”) is set to increase as of tomorrow (1/11/09)…

Under a new four-tier banding system (based on the distance from London to the destination’s capital city), the duty in economy class will rise from £10 to £11 per person on short-haul flights, from £40 to £45 or £50 on medium-haul flights, and from £40 to £55 on long-haul flights. Prices for passengers in premium-economy cabins will rise by up to £30.

Full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/air-passenger-duty/6466220/Air-Passenger-Duty–APD-or-travel-tax—and-what-you-can-do-to-scrap-it.html

The rest of the article makes for quite interesting reading, especially in the respect of the destinations that are going to be disproportionately penalised and also the long-term impact that such a rise would have on the economy (bearing in mind we are still not out of the recession!), so I suggest you follow the link in the quote above if you want to read it!

I wonder how much of this additional money the Government generates from this ludicrous and totally unjust increase in APD will actually be put back into the aviation industry…I am guessing not a lot, if any at all!:mad: