General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
ABTA and the aviation industry continue to complain about APD … on … and on…. and on …
Date added: 15 March, 2011
Here are a few of the stories covered by the media, of the airports, airlines
and travel companies complaining about the supposed iniquity of charging APD -
all of £12 on a short haul flight, with more on longer flights. All of course
ignoring that aviation pays no tax on fuel, and no VAT - and thus receives an
effective annual subsidy from the UK tax payer of some £9 - 10 billion per year.
The industry complaints just keep on coming .....
Click here to view full story...
EasyJet joins Nectar points scheme
Date added: 14 March, 2011
Shoppers will be able to earn points towards flights as they fill their trolleys after easyJet joined the Nectar
loyalty card programme. The scheme, allowing collectors to exchange points for flights to more than 550 destinations
in 60 countries, is backed by Nectar’s founding partner Sainsbury’s. Customers of partner firms such as Homebase, BP and British Gas can also earn
points for flights. Flights are a popular request.on how to use points.
Click here to view full story...
DfT 2010 British Social Attitudes survey: attitudes to transport
Date added: 13 March, 2011
The DfT study into attitudes to transport for 2010 was published in January.
It includes findings like 66% agreed that the current level of air travel has
a serious effect on climate change. And 42% agreed that the price of a plane ticket
should reflect the environmental damage that flying causes. And 18% agreed that
people should be able to travel by air even if it harms the environment. 64%
agreed that people should be able to fly as much as they like.
Click here to view full story...
Aviation tax reform – for per plane tax rather than APD – dropped by government
Date added: 12 March, 2011
Ministers have scrapped plans to change aviation duty to a per plane tax from
a per passenger tax, claiming it would thwart the 1944 Chicago Convention. A
per plane tax would make it uneconomic to fly planes half empty, and cargo would
also be taxed. The new tax was expected to cover cargo airlines, private jet flights
and transfer passengers – all of which escape passenger duties. Airlines like
BA hate per plane tax, but EasyJet supports it.
Click here to view full story...
Irish government to abolish air passenger duty
Date added: 12 March, 2011
Ireland’s Fine Gael-Labour coalition has promised to abolish tax on air travel,
in an effort to increase the number of visitors to the country. An air passenger tax of €10 per person was introduced two years ago, then reduced
to €3 last year. The number of travellers flying to Ireland has fallen, probably
due to reasons other than the €3 charge. The Dutch government abandoned its tax on air travel in 2009. The Telegraph continues
to press for cuts in APD.
Click here to view full story...
BAA reports passengers down -0.2% in February compared to Feb 2010 at its UK airports
Date added: 11 March, 2011
In February, Heathrow passenger traffic was up 0.5% year on year, but at its
6 airports in the UK it was down -0.2%. Heathrow’s traffic grew by 0.5%, while Stansted fell -6.3%. Passengers at Glasgow,
Edinburgh and Aberdeen were all up (+3.9%, 5% and 4.9% respectively), though Glasgow
and Aberdeen had reported declines last year. There was a +1.4% growth in European
scheduled services - which form by far the largest market sector.
Click here to view full story...
European flight numbers for 2010
Date added: 11 March, 2011
ELFAA announces year-on-year passenger increase for 2010. – The European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA) is delighted to announce a 6.1% year-on-year increase in passenger numbers for 2010, all the more striking since it took place in what was a very challenging year for the airline industry.
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“I want to pay Air Passenger Duty on all my flights”
Date added: 11 March, 2011
A blogger explains why he is happy to just pay APD, which is hugely lower than
the taxes on flying would be if jet fuel was taxed in a way comparable to petrol,
and if VAT was added. He concludes that £12 on a flight to Barcelona is a lot
cheaper than £37 on fuel duty and £7 on VAT. And that if the government did not
get in the estimated £2.2 billion this year in APD, the government would need
to tax elsewhere or cut services. NHS? Schools?
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Air traffic controllers’ flight path to Single European Sky
Date added: 10 March, 2011
Air Traffic Control organisations across Europe have signed an agreement signalling
the route towards single, unified airspace. The Single European Sky will reform
the European air traffic management so that aircraft can pass it through it quicker,
reducing cost, delays and fuel consumption. At present, some planes burn around
10% more fuel than they need to by indirect routes. The EU estimates that air
traffic could double by 2020. (BAA)
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Government’s air travel tax pledge in doubt
Date added: 10 March, 2011
Last year's coalition manifesto contained a pledge to reform APD, a tax imposed
on all passengers on planes leaving the UK except those who are on transfer, to
curtail greenhouse gas emissions. Both parties in the coalition had said they
wanted to tax "per plane" to give airlines the incentive to cut down on their
carbon footprint. It now seems the coalition has now shelved the plan, unable to make the change as it falls
foul of EU laws.
Click here to view full story...
