Airlines UK comment on the statement made by the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance on the latest with the proposed cut to Air Departure Tax

October 5th, 2017

Commenting on the statement made today by the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance on the latest with the proposed cut to Air Departure Tax, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, the trade body for UK airlines, said:

“This potential delay is disappointing and frustrating but we’re pleased that the commitment to halving the tax still stands. We have been engaging with the Scottish Government and civil servants at Westminster about the situation with respect to the state aid exemption for HIAL airports and believe that a solution can be reached. We continue to believe that lower levels of tax on aviation will provide a much needed boost to connectivity and will make Scotland a more attractive place for airlines to add capacity, delivering new routes and more services. Following our exit from the European Union this will be more important than ever.”