UK increases passenger tax. Passengers leaving British airports must pay a new higher rate of air tax that came into force on February 1. The levy doubles to GBP10 pounds (C$23.30) for short-haul economy flights and GBP40 (C$93.21) for long-haul economy. It rises to GBP20 (C$46.61) for business and first-class flights in Europe and GBP80 (C$186.42) for long-haul.
The British Air Transport Association, the airlines' trade body, said the higher tax may damage the UK aviation industry. "(It) is a misguided and punitive increase driven by party political considerations which will do nothing to improve the environment," said Secretary General Roger Wiltshire. The Treasury said the duty will save the equivalent of three quarters of a million tonnes of carbon every year by 2011.
"The increase in Air Passenger Duty will better reflect the environmental costs of air travel," a spokesman said. "It is airlines and travel companies - not passengers - who are liable for APD. "It is a commercial matter for these companies whether or not, and how, they choose to pass this on to passengers." Source: Reuters
Oneworld has confirmed that Royal Jordanian, Japan Airlines and Malev Hungarian Airlines will join the alliance as full members on April 1. Five additional subsidiaries of JAL Group will join the same day as affiliates: JALways, Japan Asia Airways, JAL Express, J-AIR and Japan Transocean Air. At the same time, Aer Lingus will withdraw from the alliance. Three other airlines are lining up to join as affiliates in 2007: Dragonair, LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador. The membership changes will expand Oneworld's reach to almost 700 airports, nearly 150 countries and 9,000 daily departures by approximately 2,500 aircraft. Source: Air Transport World
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Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, North Shore
Is it worth the hassle? Like the Futureshop mail-in rebate, that works only every so often? I'm sure passengers given the choice, would just as well transit thru FRA or some other place. But wait, they will raise the tax too. This can't be good for the industry...
...Seems they are going to remove the axe and the control column from the cockpits for security reasons.
