UK regional airports have been adversely affected by the current level of Air Passenger Duty, but a Per Plane Tax would make matters worse.
That was the view of regional development body Northern Way, whose transport director John Jarvis said yesterday (Wednesday January 26): “Northern airports are impacted more by price and more sensitive to APD.
“We do not support a Per Plane Duty [to replace APD]. It would make the situation worse. It would probably mean trucking more freight and the economic impact would be negative.
APD already has a disproportionate effect in the north. A Per Plane Duty would amplify the impact.”
Jarvis said the government should instead consider introducing regional banding of APD within the UK. Jarvis was speaking at a Transport Times conference on airport strategy at which transport minister Theresa Villiers confirmed the government would make an announcement on APD in the Budget on March 23.
The coalition is committed to replacing APD with a Per Plane Duty, but appears likely to retreat on this.