Cheers Darren, on the brink of booking flight only to Goa for 2011, got a 'not too bad' a price from Jewel in the Crown, you would have thought that it would be wrong to increase after - whats to stop them putting £200pp say on flights, everyone would cancel..
Once I have enquired, and booked, will post back there coments.
Thanks.

Per plane levy decision deferred in emergency budget

Chancellor George Osborne postponed a decision on scrapping APD and replacing it with a per plane levy until the autumn in today's emergency budget.

The proposals for the new tax has had a mixed reaction from the industry, with some operators welcoming the move while others showing caution.

It was widely expected that Osborne would introduce the levy today but even if he does bring it in autumn, its complexities will mean it won't be implemented until next year.

With permission from Travelmole

Industry reacts to Osborne's budget

The travel industry has reacted with cautious optimism to chancellor George Osborne's emergency budget.

ABTA says it "welcomes George Osborne's move to examine aviation taxes more closely, but is disappointed that the November increases in Air Passenger Duty will still go ahead."

This means that the revenue raised will increase from £1.9 billion this year to £3.8 billion in 2015-16.

ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer said: "It is now up to us to make sure we brief and have full and detailed discussions with government ministers and civil servants before George Osborne reports back in the autumn.

"While we broadly welcome the proposed switch from Air Passenger Duty to per plane duty, it is essential that the levels and the mechanisms are set correctly so that ordinary people are not taxed out of flying.
"We have already held a meeting with Justine Greening - the Treasury Minister taking the lead on aviation taxes - and we will ensure that we continue to meet with her team to fully brief them on our sector."

"Tax on aviation - through Air Passenger Duty - in this country has risen disproportionately over the past five years. We all know that George Osborne has to balance the books, but to maximise the tax take on aviation, they must set it at a level where people can still afford to fly - not tax people out of the skies."

Meanwhile Easyjet has interpreted the chancellor's words this lunchtime, when he said he would defer per plane levy discussions until the autumn, very positively.

Said the budget airline's chief executive Andy Harrison: "Four out of five British travellers would be better off under a per plane tax as private jets, cargo aircraft and travellers changing planes in Heathrow will start paying their fair share."

"We applaud the Government's intention to end this daft poll tax on passengers, despite fierce resistance from airlines with old aircraft who argue that inefficient flying should continue to be subsidised by efficient airlines who have invested in greener, cleaner aircraft.

"The increase in the overall tax take from November is self-defeating. Aviation is at the heart of international trade and tourism and will be crucial in getting the economy back on the road to recovery."

"Air tax is already higher in the UK than anywhere else in Europe, and there is simply no scope to increase it further."

Flybe chairman and CEO Jim French said: "‘Flybe is in favour of a per plane tax providing it is based on the emissions of the actual aircraft type and then is banded by the distance travelled.

"It should also reflect allowances for the lower load factors predominant in the areas outside of London and provide lower rates for start up routes.

"This would reward those airlines like Flybe who have invested in cleaner modern aircraft technology and incentivise those who have not!"

But he added: "Flybe believes it is vital that any consultation on PPD must be meaningful and engage with all industry and external stakeholders and we look forward to the process between now and any decision being very clearly laid out.

"We stand ready to help the Treasury achieve these policy goals while still powering the regional economics of the UK."

He went on: "Flybe would however be concerned if a uniform per plane tax was brought in, as this would disproportionately affect the economics of the UK regions.

"A uniform per plane tax would disproportionately impact the UK regions as they represent 44% of passengers but 62% of flights.

"Dozens of routes relied upon by British businesses and families who don't live in London are only feasible as a day return by air, but can only be flown economically on the right size aircraft.

"A blanket per plane tax would incentivise the use of large, inefficient, polluting aircraft and artificially stimulate discretionary travel on these aircraft, which use old technology but as a result have a low capital cost and a high environmental impact.

With permission from Travelmole

APD goes up on Nov 1st... this will increase all airfares, proportionatelt according to distance travelled...

We fly to Grenada with BA on Tues 23rd Nov....we booked a year ago through Lunn Poly and paid in full over three months ago... with the rise in tax can I expect a revised invoice asking for more money??

ATB,J.

I wouldn't have thought so as the balance is paid in full

Mods, thanks for merging... I see that this discussion has been going on for quite some time!!

ATB,J.

Airlines in the firing line over APD refunds

Airlines are coming under fire today from a passenger rights group for not refunding Air Passenger Duty when flights are cancelled.

The Air Travel Advisory Bureau (INVALID URL has promised to take up the cause of UK air passengers who have not received APD refunds, claiming they run into millions of pounds.

"The APD tax is only paid to the government by the airline if the passenger actually flies but if the passenger doesn't fly, that money should be refunded in full," said an ATAB statement.

"Some airlines make the process of getting a refund either difficult or so expensive in ‘administration charges' that they hope it will put people off applying."

ATAB said the Consumer Association's magazine Which estimated that Ryanair, as far back as 2003, pocketed in excess of £5 million pounds, in that year alone, in un-refunded taxes.

"I am amazed that the airline industry has been allowed to sink to its present condition. In the last 10 years air travel is the only major form of transportation that has gone backwards." said Tony White, Chairman of ATAB.

Former MP and government Consumer Minister Nigel Griffiths has joined the campaign.

"It is frankly shocking that some airlines are pocketing millions of pounds by keeping to themselves taxes they are simply not entitled to. I have written to the chief executives of all the major airlines asking them to voluntarily refund taxes to passengers who are unable to fly. Otherwise we will campaign to strengthen consumer law to make refunding mandatory."

With permission from Travelmole

I've said before on here that with some airlines this has gone beyond being a windfall, they may even budget it as normal income at the start of the year.

ABTA makes last-ditch appeal over APD reform

ABTA is making a last-ditch attempt to persuade the Government to rethink the level and structure of APD.

In the final week of the Government's APD review, the industry association is hoping to stop the government increasing the tax by up to 10% next April.

Under the current structure, a family of four flying in economy from the UK to Florida pay £240 in flight tax, while if they fly to Australia they can expect to pay £340.

These rates double for customers flying in business class.

An ABTA delegation is visiting Northern Ireland this week, where the case for reform is particularly pressing.

ABTA said Northern Ireland is in danger of losing more international routes as customers and airlines vote with their feet and cross the border to the Republic which has announced it is eliminating aviation tax altogether to encourage overseas visitors.

The Republic currently charges only €3 per passenger. This compares with passengers flying from Belfast who pay up to £120 flight tax per passenger to fly direct to the US.

Governments in Denmark, Sweden, Malta and the Netherlands have all axed their versions of aviation tax after assessing the negative economic impacts on their economies.

The deadline for the Government's review of a reform of APD is this Friday, June 17.

With permission from Travelmole

APD rise to go ahead

Chancellor George Osborne dealt the travel industry a bitter blow today when he failed to announce he would reduce or ditch the much-loathed air passenger duty when he delivered his Autumn Statement.

Instead, the Government confirmed that the double-inflationary rise, announced last April, will go ahead.

Virgin Holidays managing director Amanda Wills said it was vital the industry kept pressure on the Government.

"It's very disappointing that despite the efforts made to date, the clear evidence of the damage it causes to the economy and job prospects here and the opposition of consumers and trade alike, the Treasury has decided to press on with a tax rise that penalises already hard-pressed consumers for taking a holiday, and which costs the UK by deterring inbound visitors," she said.

"It will also have a significant and ongoing impact on overseas communities whose economies and prosperity depend on international tourism - such as those in the Caribbean. Currently, no-one wins and we support the continued calls being made urging the Government to commission an independent study in to APD's overall economic value."

Osborne used his Budget earlier this year to delay a rise in APD for a year, until April 2012, but the travel industry had hoped he would announce a further freeze in the tax today.

However, his speech to the House of Commons made no reference to APD and the Treasury cofirmed a double-inflation increase ahead of the Government's response to the air passenger duty consultation on December 6.

With permission from Travelmole

Millions face retrospective air tax

Airlines and agents are up in arms after the Government confirmed that millions of travellers will be forced to retrospectively pay extra in air tax.

Passengers who have already booked flights from 1st April next year now have to pay the increase in air passenger duty for their flight.

Virgin Atlantic chief commercial officer Julie Southern said: "It's completely unacceptable that millions of passengers now face an additional tax bill on tickets they have already paid for.

"This stealth tax, hidden by the Government in the small print of a secondary document, isn't a tax on airlines, it is a tax on passengers - tourists, businesses and British families alike.

"We have been warning the Government for months of the impact this will have and have urged them to avoid this unnecessary situation. Hundreds of thousands of passengers have already booked travel with us after April 1st, meaning millions across the wider industry are likely to be impacted.

"People would never be expected to pay extra duty for the petrol already sitting in their cars or wine sitting in their fridge, so why does the Treasury think it is acceptable to retrospectively charge airline passengers?"

The Govermnent has now confirmed the rate rises for APD will be as follows:

Economy short-haul flights will rise from £12 to £13

Economy medium-haul flights will increase from £60 to £65.

Economy flights to the Caribbean, Mexico, East Asia, Thailand and other countries in band C will rise from £75 to £81.

Economy flights to Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile and other long-haul destinations in band D will rise from £85 to £92.

In premium economy and business class, these rates will be double.

With permission from Travelmole

uhm......

so they've "been warning the government for months" have they? Dare I ask, were they also warning the passengers they were selling these flights to?

The government would be wrong to backdate taxes, but it sounds to me like they are actually just confirming tax increases that had already been provisionally announced. Whether or not you agree with the new charges, if the airlines knew what was planned they should have made sure the passengers also knew they might have to pay more.

We visit Sydney every couple of years to visit our son, our next visit will be in Feb. 2013 and we'd hope to book our flights around this May
In the past we've flown with Aisiana, Emirates, Malaysian, Etihad, Qatar. Our main criteria is 34" leg room and price. We've booked through the likes of Dialaflight, Travelmood, Travelquest, or online with the airline.
I've read that there's a big saving to be made by booking the longhaul sector to start from the likes of Frankfurt or Schiphol. As we stay near Stirling in Central Scotland, any carrier other than Emirates, means either a train journey or domestic flight, to either Manchester or London, so flying to Amsterdam or Frankfort to start the journey, would not be a problem.
It's a little early to get prices for a departure next Feb,but for an exercise today, I used some dates for next Oct, and tried a few comparison sights such as Skyscanner and invariabley flights from mainland Europe when directly compared to the same date from the UK by the same carrier, showed up considerabley dearer
So is it possible to save money by flying the longhaul sectors from Europe ? and if so how does one go abiut it ?
there's a very, very very slight chance we may go business class and in that scenario the savings on avoiding A.P.D. would be even more important
Any advice on this matter would be much appreciated
Alan

this what's known technically as a can of worms!

UK APD is payable on the whole journey on your ticket. So if the ticket says Glasgow to Sydney via Frankfurt then that's what you pay for. Australia is in the most expensive band. If you bought two tickets, Glasgow -Frankfurt plus Frankfurt -Sydney the UK APD would only apply to the first ticket and at the European band rate. BUT the bit the various airlines, journalists and other rabble-rousers in the UK don't mention is that other countries also have APD and Germany is one of them. So the onward leg would be a journey originating in Germany and would be liable for German APD. And if you did buy it as two tickets you'd lose your connecting passenger rights in the event of a missed connection.

But APD isn't the only thing to bear in mind. For years airlines have been pricing tickets using a system not much better than sticking a finger in the air and seeing which way the wind is blowing. Many with long haul routes have been offering cheaper rates to passengers from third countries coming into their main hub on short haul connections. So not only can UK passengers fly via Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Zurich etc at lower prices than going direct but BA have offered prices to passengers from other countries transferring at Heathrow to their long haul routes. There was a famous case of Madrid-New York via Heathrow being cheaper than just Heathrow-New York!

Unless you are planning a few days break at the middle hub stick to through ticketing. There are specialist agents to consult but also try the various airline websites. And do all the combinations, even where it's a joint operation they may not charge the same. If for instance you checked Lufthansa for Glasgow-Sydney they might offer their flight to Frankfurt or Dusseldorf and then a Singapore Airlines connection with a Lufthansa code share flight number. If you asked Singapore Airlines they might offer exactly the same journey at a different price with the Lufthansa flight using a Singapore flight number. If you trust the airline don't worry about how they calculated the price!

Thanks for that reply, obviously not as simple as I thought it might be !!
Alan

UK passengers' tax-dodging techniques revealed

More than one in 10 British travellers taking long-haul flights will avoid the increase in air passenger duty by flying from other European countries, according to a new survey published this week.

A family of four travelling to Sydney could save about £760 in taxes and charges by flying from Amsterdam instead of London, claimed the report by Sainsbury's Travel Money.

It said passengers would also pay lower taxes and fees by taking long-haul flights from Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid and Rome instead of London.

David Barrett of Sainsbury's Travel Money said: "Our research suggests that some families are rethinking their holiday plans because of the increased level of tax placed on some flights through Air Passenger Duty.

"It appears that many are willing to do all they can to get around it, from avoiding air travel altogether to taking long-haul flights from more competitively priced European airports."

The findings, based on researching typical fares of national flag carrier flights from major airports in Europe via Expedia, show that a passenger flying economy class from London to Sydney could typically £190 more in taxes and fees than those travelling from Amsterdam.

Passengers flying economy class from London to Cape Town would typically pay £460 in taxes and fees but only £347 when travelling from Rome, £326 from Amsterdam or £318 from Paris.

A survey of 2,001 carried out by ICM on behalf of the bank, suggests over 6.6 million (14%) Brits would book a short-haul flight to a non-UK airport, have a stopover and then take a separate long-haul flight from there.

Over 7.5 million (16%) Brits would go to a short-haul holiday destination rather than travel longhaul and one in eight (13%) would deliberately choose a destination in a cheaper APD band.

One in five would try to get the best economy class cabin seats at the front of the cabin instead of booking premium economy or business class seats, which carry a higher APD charge. Some 12% of Britons would choose an alternative mode of transport and avoid air travel altogether in an effort to avoid APD.

With permission from Travelmole