Time to end this travel rip-off (From Messenger Newspapers)

Time to end this travel rip-off

1:12pm Friday 27th July 2012 in Your Letters

THIS is now the busiest time of year for people to fly abroad, and I wanted to bring to your attention the unfair APD tax that air passengers are paying and may not be aware of how expensive it has become.

I have worked in the travel business for more than 40 years, and wish to highlight the unfair APD (Airport Passenger Duty) tax. This ‘green’ tax started at £5 per head several years ago.

For a family travelling to the USA in 1994, it was £40. In 2007 it was £80 and today a whopping £260, making UK passengers pay the highest taxes in the world. This is damaging to business as well as tourism.

There is now a campaign to get this tax reduced, and a web site afairtaxonflying.org is where you can register your dissatisfaction.

Log on and enter your postcode only. This will generate a letter to your MP and leaves space for comments. Having done this, I have received a reply from Graham Brady, MP for Altrincham and Sale West, who agrees that these taxes are damaging, and has tabled an Early Day Motion 174 to be read in the House of Commons.

He said: “I believe that we should aim to become again a low tax economy. Reducing rates will have the effect of encouraging effort and enterprise, making the UK more competitive and more prosperous.”

So I urge anyone booking a flight to please use this website now.

Ken Garrity, Altrincham