Abta has called on MPs preparing to depart on summer holidays to re-think plans to raise air passenger duty (APD) next year.
A bigger proportion of MPs and members of the House of Lords will enjoy overseas holidays in the next two months than in the population as a whole, according to a survey by Abta.
The association reports 42% of MPs and 44% of Lords are heading abroad for a summer holiday. By contrast 21% of the UK population, an estimated 13 million people, will do so.
Abta said: “MPs and peers will know how important a holiday can be and should re-think any further rise in aviation taxation as family budgets have to stretch further.”
The association’s second annual Parliamentary Holiday Survey suggests the Mediterranean is the most-popular overseas destination for MPs, and Scotland the most-popular UK destination.
It found one in five MPs take three or more holidays a year, two in five take two holidays and one in three a single holiday. About one in ten said they take no holiday, and 3% no break at all from work.
Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “The survey shows taking a break is just as important for our political representatives as for millions of citizens.”
MPs received over 10,000 emails about APD following a half-day campaign in airports by the Airport Operators’ Association. The Hands off our Holiday campaign – not affiliated with Abta’s Fair Tax on Flying – handed out 30,000 leaflets on the morning of July 11.
Who received the most complaints?
- Henry Smith (Crawley)
- Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, and transport secretary)
- Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet and aviation minister)
- Vince Cable (Twickenham and business secretary)
- Michael Gove (Surrey Heath and education secretary)
- Adam Afriyie (Windsor)
- Mark Field (Cities of London and Westminster)
- Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park)
- Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne, Surrey)
- Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington)