What is the likelihood for BA to move some long haul flights to Belfast? Nil?
Wouldn't mainland originating pax still be liable to pay the long haul APD set by Westminster, like when they fly via other European cities to a l/h destination? So yes, I'm guessing nil
BA moving flights to Belfast would make NO sense. All passengers connecting onto them would still be subject to the same longhaul APD at their point of deparature on the connecting flight to Belfast from elsewhere in the UK (outside Northern Ireland). The demand to Belfast is a fraction of the demand to London.
(This is an interesting development. NI is the one place where UK is not able to get away with 'island' isolation. Now if other nations of the UK saught similar devolved powers.... it then gets interesting on GB island.)
Wouldn't mainland originating pax still be liable to pay the long haul APD set by Westminster, like when they fly via other European cities to a l/h destination? So yes, I'm guessing nil
These APD rules are hard to understand and plain daft at times.
They're fairly simple. Some workarounds may be complex, but the rules as they are are simple.
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Firstly, apart from the United flight to New York mentioned in the article, are there actually any long-haul routes from Belfast?
I assume this move is because the NI government are hoping to attract more long haul routes to Belfast.
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Secondly, would a passenger avoid APD if their itinerary commenced in Belfast but the long haul segment departed from mainland UK?
No. Now if they did allow this, it would be
If the government are interested in de-populating London's airports, and especially Heathrow, they should drop APD on flights > 3000 miles which leave from non-London airports, and double it on flights >3000 miles from LHR.
I assume this move is because the NI government are hoping to attract more long haul routes to Belfast.
I think it's more the case that they don't want to lose the one and only long haul flight to Dublin rather than the expectation of getting any more L/H flights from BFS.
I think 'government' is much too strong a word for what goes on at Stormont
Mr Brian Ambrose (George Best Belfast City Airport):As we in the city airport see it, the background is that we as a region have benefited greatly. We had a period of growth where passenger numbers to Northern Ireland doubled from four million to eight million between 1997 and 2007. In the four or five years since then, the number of passengers reduced from eight million to seven million. So, as a region, we have lost one million passengers.
<snip>
Mr McLaughlin: That is helpful. What about the direct competition with Dublin Airport and the very unequal situation that exists?
Mr Doran: There is an uneven playing field. We share the same land mass, and we are only an hour-and-a-half to an hour-and-three-quarters driving time apart, yet the taxation regime is quite uneven. The domestic rate for air passenger duty is £13; it is €3 in Dublin. As you move up the bands, the rate goes up quite enormously. In the future, the plan is for all UK rates to effectively double over a period of time. That will put us at a severe and distinct disadvantage. The rate at the moment may not be a big enough disincentive to make someone who is flying to Birmingham, let us say, want to jump in their car and drive down to Dublin to get their flight. However, if the taxation regime here increases at the proposed rate, people may do that in the very near future, because it may prove more cost-effective.
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I think it's more the case that they don't want to lose the one and only long haul flight to Dublin rather than the expectation of getting any more L/H flights from BFS.
Absolutely correct.
It has very little to do with attracting new routes. It's mostly about being competitive with Dublin where APD doesn't apply.
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Originally Posted by PUCCI GALORE
Hmm- so if you bought out of Belfast and routed through London - assuming the stopover would be less than 24 hours - would you pay the APD or not?
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Originally Posted by Neiltoo
Unfortunately, yes.
However there's a long list of airports in Scotland where you can start your journey APD free, so long as it's one PNR. You get the situation where Campbelltown flights with longhaul connections are cheaper than Glasgow (and get more TPs) even though you transfer there.
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
However there's a long list of airports in Scotland where you can start your journey APD free, so long as it's one PNR. You get the situation where Campbelltown flights with longhaul connections are cheaper than Glasgow (and get more TPs) even though you transfer there.
I see - and where might this list be found CWS.
(OT: Do corporate-wage-slaves rent out by the hour and home helps as I have always dreamed of saying" Spartacus! Peel me a Grape" not that would shut Her Next Door In Surbiton to shut her rap once and for all when she next invites herself in for Bomaby & Slims. She complains that she does not care for Slimline tonic herself but this does not prevent her drinking more of them "Well not driving am I". She is however an invaluable source of local gossip and scandal. So, a "Slave" serving the drinks and wearing little more than Speedos and a pair or sandals would probably cause her to squeeze her glass until it snapped so we will have to use the Waitrose glasses rather than anything more vauable). No I dare not ask at work how could I look over the trolley at them again.
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