Scottish travellers are being hit harder than most following the increase of the Air Passenger Duty, according to the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association.
President Sandy MacPherson said customers north of the border who take a connecting flight to London before going abroad are forced to pay the additional tax for internal flights, as well as the outbound flight to their final destination.
He said: “The tax increase is unfounded and ill-conceived, with no prior travel sector consultation – on time scales for its introduction, or its inconsistent treatment of passengers.
“While we understand fully that this tax is imposed by the UK Government, once again Scottish travellers will be penalised more than their counterparts in the South, and bear the brunt of this inequity.”
The APD increase will take effect as of next month, will be applied retrospectively and will see economy prices double to £10 in the short haul market and £40 in long haul. MacPherson added the tax increase is also detrimental to the industry’s efforts to embrace greener projects.
He said: “For families travelling on holiday from Scotland, this represents a huge increase in costs, which will not even be allocated to ‘green’ initiatives, but go straight to the Exchequer.
“Many tour operators who were already planning ‘environmental offsetting’ investment have now abandoned such schemes as the overall cost will not be sustainable.”
MacPherson said the matter will be discussed tonight when the SPAA holds its first ever reception for Scottish MPs at the Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh tonight.