having a varied tax depending on how busy the airport is seems pretty reasonable to me. If they reduced tax at other airports to compensate , it wouldnt seem like just a money grab
As the airports are owned and operated by different companies, would a varying tax not be a form of unfair commercial restriction? Another example of a policy made without any real thought to its legality?
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Surely there is already a market pricing mechansim in place. Slots are much more expensive at LHR than STN for example, adding to the cost of flights. Yields are higher from LHR than from LGW - which is why many airlines prefer to fly from LHR. And the congestion itself adds to the costs of doing business as well (delays caused by congestion increase costs)
Surely there is already a market pricing mechansim in place. Slots are much more expensive at LHR than STN for example, adding to the cost of flights. Yields are higher from LHR than from LGW - which is why many airlines prefer to fly from LHR. And the congestion itself adds to the costs of doing business as well (delays caused by congestion increase costs)
So why yet another money grabbing tax?
Don't confuse a new tax with anything useful or intellectually consistent other than as a desperate means to reduce the UK's huge indebtedness. It will not have anything to do with a coherent transport policy. Most austerity measures have not kicked in, and it is easier for the government to raise (stealth) taxes than reduce spending. Congestion/enviornmental concerns blah blah just serve as weak excuses to sucker in a few and place a spin in the press.
I would much prefer a carrot approach to the airlines e.g. for British Airways to start operating regionally again. 20 years ago I could fly in and out of Birmingham with them (preferred out!) and could happily hop the Atlantic with BA from Glasgow to Newark. Now they barely operate out of Gatwick let alone the Midlands or anywhere up North. Scotland is basically a shuttle service feeding Heathrow. And no the new Leeds Bradford service does not really count!
having a varied tax depending on how busy the airport is seems pretty reasonable to me. If they reduced tax at other airports to compensate , it wouldnt seem like just a money grab
Do you choose which airport you fly from based on its fees? Based on its facilities? Based on its location?
Many of us choose an airport based on the destinations it serves. Because flying is usually, you know, to do with going somewhere...
How can pax fly to, say, MIA, if punitive taxes drive them away from LGW and LHR? ... or are they supposed to get the Eurostar to CDG to fly from there?
Last edited by shorthauldad; Jan 16, 13 at 3:17 am..
Reason: typos/grammar
Do you choose which airport you fly from based on its fees? Based on its facilities? Based on its location?
Many of us choose airports based on the destinations it serves. Because flying is usually, you know, to do with going somewhere...
How can pax fly to, say, MIA, if punitive taxes drive them away from LGW and LHR? ... or are they supposed to get the Eurostar to CDG to fly from there?
Quite. Unless one is so masochistic/tight-arsed/poor as to fly with a cut price airline there is usually no option than Heathrow. And for many long haul destinations there is no choice at all. As nice as the lounges are I would love to be able to fly from a smaller airport and avoid the "shopping mall on Christmas Eve" that is T5.
Quite. Unless one is so masochistic/tight-arsed/poor as to fly with a cut price airline there is usually no option than Heathrow. And for many long haul destinations there is no choice at all. As nice as the lounges are I would love to be able to fly from a smaller airport and avoid the "shopping mall on Christmas Eve" that is T5.
If they can manage to encourage airlines to realise that there are airports other than LHR , it may work. STN, for example, doesn't seem to be at capacity so why not encourage growth there
The main opposing view in the article seemed to be surprise surprise, Heathrow airport
If they up the taxes at one airport , and others reduced to remain revenue neutral , seems a fair thing to do. If however it is just another tax on top, that is different
If they up the taxes at one airport , and others reduced to remain revenue neutral , seems a fair thing to do. If however it is just another tax on top, that is different
OK, forget airports, let's look at the big picture.
What we need to do is increase the tax on the whole of the SE of England, because there are obviously too many people living there and we need to manage demand.
Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Cornwall will have their taxes lowered to compensate, don't worry everyone - it will be revenue neutral
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shorthauldad
OK, forget airports, let's look at the big picture.
What we need to do is increase the tax on the whole of the SE of England, because there are obviously too many people living there and we need to manage demand.
Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Cornwall will have their taxes lowered to compensate, don't worry everyone - it will be revenue neutral
Defintiely the reverse should be done. Northerners have more space per person, so should pay more for that. It will be cost neutral
Back on topic, I don't think a tax on one airport will do anything to reduce demand for that airport. The airlines want one base if at all possible (even BA could be considered as secretly wanting that when you look at the state of the Gatters fleet, and the divesting of CWLCY to a subsidiary), as this reduces costs for their operation. A little bit of tax won't change that will it?
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They proposed building a new airport at Maplin Sands years ago - I would worry about this as and when something actually happens. Like the third runway at Heathrow I'll believe it when construction starts.
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Another moronic exercise wasting time and money, the competition on the continent must be laughing all the way to the bank. A key quote is:
Quote:
see the number of passenger leaving flying from the airport fall by 23.1 million a year
Whatever the exact number will really be, for any policy maker to even consider imposing this kind of carnage on their airports must be folly on the grandest scale.
