Up to 58 per cent of cost for internal flights in the UK is JUST tax, research reveals
The Chancellor has come under pressure to cut Air Passenger Duty by at least half as Brits are currently charged twice for domestic return flights
UP to £6 of every tenner spent on flights from UK airports goes in tax, research shows.
Campaigners are now calling on the Chancellor to cut Air Passenger Duty by at least half in the Budget.
Passengers are charged £13 duty on flights taking off from UK airports — meaning they pay twice for domestic return trips.
Researchers from A Fair Tax on Flying looked at 18 air fares for a domestic return booked on September 11 for travel on October 16 and 17.
They found 58 per cent of the £45 to fly easyJet from Stansted to Glasgow or Edinburgh was APD, and it was 54 per cent of Flybe’s £48 for Southampton to Manchester.
A campaign spokesman said: “This exorbitant tax on all short haul and long haul flights hurts the UK economy.
“It’s a tax on trade and a tax on holidays. And this analysis shows that it is an unfair burden to business and leisure travellers making return flights within the UK.
“This damages connectivity, regional economies and the overall country. It is a definite brake on growing the benefits of tourism and business travel across the country.
“We are urging the Chancellor to decisively cut APD in the Budget by at least 50 per cent across all bands of travel. This will help move the UK towards a more level playing field with some of our neighbouring economies.”
“It’s a tax on trade and a tax on holidays.”
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