‘Fair Tax on Flying’ Campaign Launched Today

March 3rd, 2011

BATA Supports ‘A Fair Tax on Flying’

The British Air Transport Association (BATA) supports the ‘Fair Tax on Flying’ campaign, an alliance of more than 25 airlines, airports, tour operators, destinations and trade associations who have today announced they are uniting to call on the Government to make aviation taxation in the UK fairer.

Simon Buck, Chief Executive of BATA said:
“The UK tax on flying is the highest in the world, raising over 15 billion pounds in the next five years – more than the tax on banks. Not one penny of this is used to help the environment. Instead it threatens jobs and economic growth. We hope the Government takes note of the five tests the ‘Fair Tax on Flying’ campaign is setting them today and gets to grips with the points the campaign makes about this ever increasing barrier to UK travel, trade and tourism.”

Notes to Editors

  • BATA is the trade body for UK-registered airlines, with members representing all sectors of the industry.
  • In 2009, BATA members employed 76,000 people, operated four-fifths of the UK commercial aircraft fleet and were responsible for some 93% of UK airline output, carrying 121 million passengers and 1 million tonnes of cargo.
  • The Fair Tax on Flying campaign members include: ABTA, ANTOR, AOA, British Airways, BAA, BAR UK, BATA, BMI, Bristol Airport, ETOA, Gatwick Airport, Jet2, Lastminute.com, Leeds Bradford Airport, London City Airport, Luton Airport, Manchester Airport Group, Manston Airport, Monarch, Newcastle Airport, The Caribbean Council, Blackpool Airport, The co-operative travel, Thomas Cook, Tourism Alliance, TUI Travel PLC, ukinbound and Virgin Atlantic
  • The alliance have set five tests that they are asking the Government to take into account as they review the overall structure or level of aviation tax:
  • 1. Will any revision increase the overall amount travellers pay to fly to and from the UK?
    2. Will any change be designed to be offset by the income from the UK’s inclusion in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)?
    3. Will a new approach remove the unfairness that travellers buying a premium economy ticket for a few extra inches of legroom are classed the same as first class travellers and pay double the rate of tax?
    4. Will any new policy address concerns that defining bands by national capital cities creates unhelpful exceptions that are unfair to passengers and damage destinations?
    5. Has the policy’s impact on destinations, trade and tourism been adequately understood and considered?