Air Passenger Duty

Air Passenger Duty



Air Passenger Duty

LITERATURE REVIEW

Passengers with reduced mobility (for whatever reason: age, disability or temporary injury) are entitled to free assistance in all European airports, both on arrival and departure and while in transit . To avoid disappointment, it is strongly recommended to contact the airline at least 48 hours before travel, to explain the type of assistance required for boarding or other areas of the airport. A passenger can not be denied boarding on the pretext that he has mobility problems, except for reasons of safety or if the aircraft is too small. The airlines are not required to assist passengers with reduced mobility to enjoy a meal or drugs during a flight. If a passenger needs this type of assistance, for example for a long flight, the company may require the presence of an attendant.

Ticket and Baggage Check (hereafter - Ticket) is a carriage document, confirming the conclusion of the contract of carriage between Carrier and the passenger. Each passenger is issued a separate ticket.

Airline Passenger Duty

Families face more expensive holidays after the Chancellor announced that the controversial Air Passenger Duty (APD) increase will go ahead as planned in April next year.

The details have yet to be confirmed on December 6 but according to airlines, the rise will be more than 10 per cent.

George Osborne dashed hopes by airlines and passengers that he would defer the air duty, dubbed 'the poll tax of the skies', which follows big rises in APD in 2007 and 2010.

The departure tax is currently worked out based on distance travelled, separated into four bands.

Economy flights up to 2,000 miles could see an increase of £4, from £12 - £16, which means a family of four would have to pay £64 instead of £48.

If the same family travelled to Australia also in economy, they would have to pay £380.

In a joint statement, the bosses of four airlines - Virgin Atlantic, easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways' parent company IAG - condemned the move.

They said: 'In the cause of UK economic recovery, APD is an own goal - and the Chancellor has just scored another one.

'By increasing this tax by double the rate of inflation, he is further deterring inbound tourism and foreign investment, and choking off yet more job opportunities for young people.'

The Airport Operators Association said the APD decision was 'bad for jobs, bad for growth and bad for passengers'.

Mark Tanzer, chief executive of travel organisation ABTA, said: 'At a time when the UK economy needs jobs and growth, hiking taxes on aviation, a catalyst of economic growth, flies in the face of basic economics.

'This double-inflation increase will damage UK growth and drive down UK air passenger numbers when we need to stimulate the economy. APD is a tax on tourism and a tax on business travel.'

Meanwhile, Hugo Burge, CEO of Cheapflights, said: 'The UK already has the highest tax on flying in the world, so it is perplexing that Air Passenger Duty is due to rise yet again ...