Responding to today’s budget Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways' parent company, IAG; Carolyn McCall, chief executive easyJet; Michael O'Leary, chief executive Ryanair and Craig Kreeger, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic jointly said:
We are very disappointed that the Government’s tax on flying, already the highest in the world, will increase yet again this year and next. These rises in Air Passenger Duty show the emptiness of rhetoric on boosting exports to emerging economies and building the most competitive tax system in the world.
Increasing this alarmingly uncompetitive tax on business, trade, and inbound tourism beggars belief when the evidence clearly suggests that abolition would deliver growth, create 60,000 jobs and pay for itself through higher receipts from other taxes.
Notes to Editor:
Link to Budget 2013 reference on Air Passenger Duty:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_complete.pdf
2.157 Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates – As announced at Budget 2012, APD rates for 2013-14 will rise in line with the RPI from 1 April 2013. (Finance Bill 2013) Budget 2013 announces that APD rates for 2014-15 will rise in line with RPI from 1 April 2014, as set out in Overview of tax legislation and rates. (Finance Bill 2014) The Government has no plans to vary APD rates by levels of airport congestion.
World Economic Forum: The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013 Pg.436
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TT_Competitiveness_Report_2013.pdf
For further information contact:
British Airways – 0208 738 5100
easyJet Andrew McConnell / Paul Moore : press.office@easyjet.com – 01582525252
Virgin Atlantic Joanne.foster1@fly.virgin.com - 07739 357 547
Ryanair -Robin Keily : kielyr@ryanair.com
