Lawrence Hunt, chief executive of new business-class airline Silverjet has accused the UK Government of keeping it in the dark over plans for green taxes on aviation.
Silverjet, which claims to be the world’s first carbon-neutral airline, started operating on January 25 2007 on the lucrative London-New York route, joining MAXjet and Eos among a new breed of premium-class carriers.
Last month, chief executive Lawrence Hunt penned an open letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair expressing his disappointment at this month’s rise in Air Passenger Duty “under the pretext of the money going to help the environment”.
Speaking in New York following Silverjet’s first week of operations, Hunt said: “As far as any potential increase in APD is concerned, I don’t think Gordon Brown knows what he’s going to do, which makes it very hard for us to operate.”
Hunt also said that despite the investment and jobs Silverjet has created and being registered on London’s AIM alternative stock market, there has been more enthusiasm for the new venture among the political establishment in the US.
“We’re investing £25 million in Luton Airport and creating thousands of jobs and the UK Government doesn’t seem interested,” he said.
Silverjet would not confirm the early load factors is has achieved, saying only they are above expectations, although they are thought to be short of the 60% breakeven point.
Silverjet president US Andria Piekarz added UK bookings have accounted for around 60% of sales, 10% more than expected. However, she expects this to even up as US ticket sales only started in November while the carrier went on sale in the UK in October.
Hunt added UK sales remain evenly split between direct and trade channels and warned travel management companies unless they start booking Silverjet they will lose customers who will book direct instead.
Silverjet claims it has encountered political indifference in the UK, but has been supported by US authorities