BAR UK deplores the doubling of Air Passenger Duty, as announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown in his pre-Budget report.

Within the EU/European Economic Area and related countries, passengers will now be required to pay £10 in the lowest class of travel, and £20 in any other class.

Commenting on today's announcement, Mike Carrivick, Chief Executive of BAR UK, said:

'The announcement that APD will be doubled merely shows that airlines, and their passengers, are being hit for the sake of taxation, with no environmental benefits being achieved. Taxation is a blunt instrument, and always will be.

'The Chancellor also fails to recognise air travel as a form of public transport. The same people that use trains and coaches are also users of the air travel system. It is timely to remind him that air travel provides safe, reliable mass transport at no cost to the public purse, but with great economic benefit for the country, and its regions.

This rise will not only affect those living in the UK, but every overseas visitor as well. Air taxes are already a significant part of the total cost paid, so this increase could be the one that persuades visitors to go elsewhere'.

For editors:
BAR UK represents 91 scheduled airlines in the UK in their dealings with Government, Government departments, regulators and airport operators. Full details can be found at www.bar-uk.org.

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