APD to be converted to 4-band system
#31
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#32
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Edited to add, there are some winners. Countries in the new band A that previously were charged intercontinental rate
Algeria
Morocco
Tunisia
Western Sahara
Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Nov 24, 2008 at 1:26 pm
#34
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Interesting. Mr Brown was very recently saying words to the effect that any country that didn't immediately implement very expansionary policies is conspiring to bring about the collapse of the world economy. And now this. Obviously he thinks the airline industry will be resilient in the face of recession. I realise he is hard pressed to find any source of revenue without killing a golden (or even base metal) goose, but suspect he will be mightily surprised. Surely he knows how much the industry was dependent on the investment w@nkers and their once limitless travel budgets?
I don't buy the argument that people will avoid UK airports provided they need to travel and the convenience is there. But whether it's your personal budget or the FD you have to answer to, the more you load the cost the sooner you will start to cut back on trips entirely. I foresee lean times in the travel industry.
I don't buy the argument that people will avoid UK airports provided they need to travel and the convenience is there. But whether it's your personal budget or the FD you have to answer to, the more you load the cost the sooner you will start to cut back on trips entirely. I foresee lean times in the travel industry.
#35
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What an inspired move by HM government . In one fell swoop, penalise the very people who are most likely to bring continued prosperity to UK plc and then further tax their travel. I can almost hear the cries: "They can afford it". Sure, but they can also afford to take their business elsewhere. Sorry to go on with the polemic, but isn't this the same chancellor who also said he didn't know what was going on right now as the markets began to freefall?
Feel free to disagree with me, as after all this place isn't aimed at polemic.
Feel free to disagree with me, as after all this place isn't aimed at polemic.
#37
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What an inspired move by HM government . In one fell swoop, penalise the very people who are most likely to bring continued prosperity to UK plc and then further tax their travel. I can almost hear the cries: "They can afford it". Sure, but they can also afford to take their business elsewhere. Sorry to go on with the polemic, but isn't this the same chancellor who also said he didn't know what was going on right now as the markets began to freefall?
#38
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I don't buy the argument that people will avoid UK airports provided they need to travel and the convenience is there. But whether it's your personal budget or the FD you have to answer to, the more you load the cost the sooner you will start to cut back on trips entirely. I foresee lean times in the travel industry.
#39
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Phew.
#40
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I already have cut back my UK stopovers since APD was launched. I have a free choice of stopovers. Continental Europe thanks UK for the tax. Further increases in APD do nothing to encourage me back to UK. It also means I'm flying much less BA than would otherwise be the case.
This is exactly how I look at it. BA should be hopping mad as people may choose to fly to AMS and take longhaul from there, possibly not on BA. Tourism sector will also be hurt. I don't see the justification in paying a very substantial tax just to arrive/leave the UK. There are other destinations. This would never fly in Canada as the tourism industry would be screaming.
#41
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The apparent advantage to Western Sahara is possibly muted by the lack of scheduled flights to that neck of the woods. Andorra is also an interesting inclusion in Band A, given the total lack of airports there.
#42
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Andorra is simple really; just ask the captain of your flight to BCN to decend a bit early and use the parachute!!
Regards
TBS
#43
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But that doesn't help unless people book on separate tickets. While I would expect the average reader of flyertalk to do that, I would think that the majority of travellers wouldn't even know or bother about doing that.
#45
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