Dnata Travel Services joins chorus condemning UK APD
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
Some 70 corporate travel departments, Travel Management Companies and tour operators from around the world – including Dubai-based giant Dnata Travel Services – have signed a letter petitioning the UK government to reduce the country’s controversial Air Passenger Duty (APD).The letter claimed the duty has become a burden on the competitiveness of the UK for meetings, incentive trips, conventions and tourism. Other signatories to the letter include organisations such as Makino from Japan, Argo Travel from Greece, Qiagen Group, from The Netherlands, Alfa Laval from Sweden, and Travel Leaders from the US.”Whether a convention in London, or an incentive trip to the famed golf venues of Scotland, our companies and clients are choosing France, Ireland and other destinations to avoid the highest aviation taxes that can be found in all of Europe. To be clear, the UK is a coveted destination; however, budgets are tight around the world and just a few hundred pounds difference in cost can cause the UK to lose significant business that sustains jobs and powers the UK economy,” the letter argued. “This letter and the declarations of the signatories powerfully demonstrate that the UK is on the decidedly wrong track in pricing itself out of many segments of the travel market,” said Brian Potter, president, Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association. “Not only are we losing foreign exchange revenues and associated jobs, but the viability of our national air transportation system is quickly eroding with profound implications for regional airports and the economies they support. This deterioration of inbound demand, caused by a counterproductive tax policy will cause airlines to use smaller aircraft, reduce frequencies, and in some cases withdraw service altogether from regional UK airports. For Scotland, the APD tax together with under capacity at Heathrow really does threaten the viability of connections from London on to the UK domestic air network.”
Comments are closed.