Osborne faces demand for airport ‘congestion charge’

Leeds Bradford chief executive John Parkin and Jet2.com managing director Ian Doubtfire urged Chancellor George Osborne to use his Autumn Statement on November 29 “to abandon the one-size-fits-all approach to APD”.

In a letter to Osborne, Parkin and Doubtfire “warmly welcomed” the decision to cut APD on long-haul flights from Northern Ireland from November 1, saying: “We trust this will pave the way for reductions on services from all the UK regions.”

They argue: “APD has a disproportionate impact on the regions outside London and the southeast . . . [and] regional airports and airlines have been hit hard by the economic downturn.

“The government should provide economic incentives to encourage airlines to make better use of regional airports. A ‘congestion charge’ on the busiest London airports, or a lower rate outside of London, could protect key routes and attract new ones.”

The pair say: “The decision to vary taxes in Northern Ireland signals the government’s responsiveness to the plight of regional airports and airlines. Given there is to be no new capacity in London . . . we urge you to make best use of the infrastructure we already have.”