Airlines have warned of chaos at airports next month when many passengers will face demands to pay additional air passenger duty on fares booked before December.
Those on carriers that want the money face a torrid time – queuing at check-in only to be redirected to a ticket desk to pay the APD and then rejoin the check-in queue.
General secretary of the board of airline representatives Mike Carrivick said: “It’s bad news, passengers may have to queue three times. If people are unhappy there’ll be customer service problems.”
The industry remains furious with the Government for giving less than two months’ notice of the doubling of APD from February 1, with the total bill put at £100 million.
First Choice will distribute leaflets to passengers asking for help to pressure the Treasury to drop the increase by sending a protest postcard.
Carriers’ terms and conditions allow them to pass on the retrospective tax, but the Package Travel Regulations mean tour operators must pay it. The Federation of Tour Operators is still considering whether to mount a legal challenge.
Ryanair performed a U-turn and has e-mailed passengers demanding retrospective APD after earlier saying it would not pay. Among other airlines:
- British Airways will pay the extra APD for passengers.
- EasyJet, Monarch Scheduled and Flybe have asked passengers asking for the extra.
- Virgin Atlantic and BMI intend to claim the money, but have yet to decide how.
- Jet2.com has warned its terms allow it to deduct the money automatically.