ABTA is petitioning the UK Treasury to follow the Dutch example and reduce or remove Airline Passenger Duty (APD), at least in the short term. If you want to add your support to this move, which would effectively reduce the cost of flights from the UK to Corfu, you can do so by adding your name to the petition. Deadline for signing is the 19th April 2009!
Don't forget that the UK government is proposing to INCREASE APD and the Travel Trade Gazette, supported by ABTA is trying to get the charges reduced or scrapped altogether. They need your support to their petition which has a deadline of April 19th. If you feel that you can support their cause, you should click on the link in the original post and add your name to the list.
Steve
Message posted by Pam Ella on 06 April 2009 at 7:34pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
Maybe I've got this wrong, but the way I see it, if this petition is accepted, it could actually increase the APD to Corfu.
The actual wording is "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to remove anomalies in the new system of air passenger duty by introducing a fairer system of distance bands"
At the moment the tax is £10 to anywhere in Europe, but as Greece is one of the furthest European destinations, surely any "distance bands" are likely to put the price up?
Elaine
Message posted by shakespearstar on 06 April 2009 at 8:33pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
Hi Elaine - Greece will fall within Band A - up to 2000 miles - as will most other European destinations. If the scheme known as 'Aviation Duty' proceeds, it will re-jig the prices for all flights from the UK and part of the campaign run by the Travel Trade Gazette is to ask the Treasury to scrap APD completely during the recession. ABTA support this, but whatever the outcome, the new rules will come into being on November 1st. Clearly a 'no charge' will be less than a 'Band A' charge.
Steve
Message posted by Dave and Kerry on 07 April 2009 at 8:25pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
Quote: Originally posted by artisans on 07 April 2009
Hi Elaine - Greece will fall within Band A - up to 2000 miles - as will most other European destinations. If the scheme known as 'Aviation Duty' proceeds, it will re-jig the prices for all flights from the UK and part of the campaign run by the Travel Trade Gazette is to ask the Treasury to scrap APD completely during the recession. ABTA support this, but whatever the outcome, the new rules will come into being on November 1st. Clearly a 'no charge' will be less than a 'Band A' charge.
Steve
But Steve, the petition you are asking us all to sign makes no mention of scrapping the tax, either permanently nor during the recession. Whatever ABTA and the Travel Trade Gazette intend to ask for in the future, this petition merely asks for a fairer distance banding system and that's all.
Under any sort of distance banding system, surely the further the destination, the higher the tax? In which case, signing the petition means you are asking for lower taxes, say, within the UK, but potentially higher taxes for more far flung destinations within Europe. I may be wrong, but I don't think that is what most people on this forum really want.
Elaine
Message posted by parkites on 08 April 2009 at 3:47pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
It's fair to say, Elaine, whether you sign the petition or not, there is a high risk that the government will steam ahead with this anyway and prices to Greece will increase. The 2000 mile band just about covers every European country so Athens flights will cost the same as Paris flights. The one place I am not sure of is Cyprus as this is almost on the Band 'A' limit.
It has been announced today, that ABTA are currently pursuing the UK Chancellor, Alistair Darling, to ask the government to reduce the tax burden on both outbound and inbound tourism to help stimulate demand. They are also asking the Chancellor to scrap Air Passenger Duty completely or, at least, cancel the planned increases in November. In the wake of the XL failure last year, ABTA are asking for a scheme to cover air travellers and more effective action on the part of the government in the event of the collapse of an operator.
Steve
Message posted by ElaineK (Paxos) on 08 April 2009 at 8:44pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
Quote: Originally posted by artisans on 08 April 2009
It's fair to say, Elaine, whether you sign the petition or not, there is a high risk that the government will steam ahead with this anyway and prices to Greece will increase. The 2000 mile band just about covers every european country so Athens flights will cost the same as Paris flights....
Precisely, so logically under the fairer banding system that the petition asks for, Athens (or Corfu) flights will potentially cost more than Paris flights.
Quote:
.........They are also asking the Chancellor to scrap Air Passenger Duty completely or, at least, cancel the planned increases in November.....
Steve
I'm not disputing that, but it seems that this is a completely separate issue to that which is being requested in the current petition.
I just think that it's only right that people should be well aware of exactly what they are signing - and its potential implications and effects on their pockets - before they put their name to this petition, or anything else for that matter.
Elaine
If you wish to post a reply to this thread you must first Login
If you are not already registered you must first register
All Rights Reserved. No part of the Corfu Travel Guide web site may be reproduced without permission.
Infringement will be pursued.
The Corfu Travel
Guide and Lefkada Travel Guides are brought to you by Agni Travel.
Agni Travel is the sister company of Taverna Agni and also the sponsor of the Agni Animal Welfare Fund
Topic:
