The freeze in Air Passenger Duty will be seen as a “welcome relief” by passengers using Heathrow, according to owner BAA.
Responding to yesterday’s Budget, the company’s chief executive Colin Matthews said: “Clearly we weren’t expecting any tax cuts, but nevertheless a freeze in APD will be a welcome relief not just for Londoners, but for everyone across the UK who relies on Heathrow to connect them around the world.
“We have to remember that air taxes don’t just hit holidaymakers – they also hurt the competitiveness of London as a world city, and without sufficient levels of tourism, everything from retail to the arts will suffer.”
The Budget highlighted the many opportunities for generating growth British firms have by forging greater links with emerging markets, BAA said.
“BAA believes aviation has a critical part to play in our recovery, since the only way to travel direct to the majority of destinations across China, India, South America and Africa, is from Heathrow, the UK’s only hub airport.”
Matthews added: “The economy will remain fragile for some time to come which is why we welcome moves to support enterprise.
“It’s essential though, that we have the right trade links with emerging markets so firms can take advantage of growth across Brazil, Russia, India and China and these will only come through a hub airport like Heathrow.”