APD tax – Is no green tax

Holiday advice APD: As Air Passenger Duty (APD) is set to rise on the 1st of November, a new survey reveals that most people believe it is time to reform this green travel tax.

If this is an environmental tax why is the Government not helping the countries that have been the most affected by climate change?

If the money is not being used for this purpose then where are the funds going? It is simply not enough to tax as a deterrent. It make no sense either for this tax to exempt cargo planes, they have the worst CO2 emissions, this Tax should be per aircraft and not per passenger.

The Government must show that it truly cares about the environment too.
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Britain’s leading travel companies say they will abandon their premium-economy cabins if the Government presses ahead with its plans to increase Air Passenger Duty (APD) on November 1st.

As the cost increase would be ridiculous with the Caribbean costing over £100 more..

Current rate charges £10 for economy class flights to European destinations, £20 for all other flights to Europe, £40 for economy class flights beyond Europe and £80 for all other flights to destinations outside Europe)

However from November 2009, most flights will go up by just £1 to £5 no big deal… The Carribean goes up £10 in economy. The Canaries are a £1 increase as is Spain – The Med – Turkey Tunisia.

The APD tax on a flight from Heathrow to Dubai will go up from £40 to £60 in 2010; the tax on a Premium Economy ticket from Gatwick to Barbados will go up from £80 to £150 and the tax on an Upper Class flight from Heathrow to Sydney will rise from £80 to £170.

APD rises: Distance to capital city from London From Nov 2009.

• Band A: £11 – Europe, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, the Canary Islands, Moscow.
• Band B: £45 to Bermuda, Canada, Egypt, Gambia, Jordan, Oman, Russia (east of Urals), Syria, UAE, US.
• Band C: £50 to the Botswana, Brazil, Caribbean, China, India, Japan, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Seychelles, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand
• Band D: £55 to Argentina, Australia, Chile, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore.

Economy/Premium November 2009
Band A (less than 2000 m) £11/£22
Band B (2001m – 4000m) £45/£90
Band C (4001m – 6000m) £50/£100
Band D (6001m+) £55/£110

Economy/Premium From Nov 2010
Band A (less than 2000 m) £12/£24
Band B (2001m – 4000m) £60/£120
Band C (4001m – 6000m) £75/£150
Band D (6001m+) £85/£170

Private jets, cargo planes and foreign passengers are exempt from the charge.

It also seems that environmentally, the tax does not work as empty planes that fly are raising less revenue that full ones.