The Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of freedom and democracy since its inauguration in 1886. What is not a symbol of freedom and democracy is Air Passenger Duty (APD), especially as applied by the current UK government.

APD is a stealth tax that aims to rip off any traveller based in the UK or flying through the UK. The money raised does not go to improve the transport infrastructure, nor does it help environmental causes. Put simply the money goes into the government’s one large pot, that same pot that the MPs dipped into for their expenses or to buy the banks.

Potentially APD is a catastrophe for the UK travel industry, the travelling public and British airlines. We at TravelPlus urge every one of our readers to engage in defeating this unfair and unnecessary tax. You can read more about its implications on page 5 in our latest issue.

So what can we do to defeat APD and how do you get your voice heard?

In a way we are fortunate that a General Election has to be held in the UK before 3 June 2010 and that politicians have never been less loved. That means they will be looking at every which way to get our votes. We need to make it clear that any candidate that supports APD will not get our vote. It is that simple.

We ask all readers who have a vote in the UK to write to the candidates in their constituency and ask them what their position is on APD. We would also urge you to write a similar letter to both David Cameron and Nick Clegg to ask how they and their parties view APD. Make it clear that if they support it, they don’t get your vote. While Labour is committed to APD, we must not take it for granted that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats won’t over turn the tax if it wins them support. Both Cameron, Clegg, and in fact any MP, can be written to at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.

If we don’t overturn this tax now we never will. The Dutch government has decided to reduce APD to zero while the British government plans to bleed travellers by up to £170 per person per trip while offering nothing in return. By next year the average £365 return fare from London to Los Angeles will consist of £319 in taxes with just £46 going to the airline, assuming any are still flying.

Join us on the barricades or don’t complain when you do have to pay through the nose to travel while the MPs put the cost of their APD down on expenses!

Simon Ward, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
 

6/16/2009 11:09:18 AM UTC    Comments