now contacting your mp or other representative is really easy
http://www.writetothem.com/
just enter your post code ,pick who you want to write to ,fill in the details write the letter and its sent for you.
the trouble is how to word it!

Thomsonfly on the website will be writing to everyone asking for payment in order of departure date. But are offering the extra money off Thomson Accom! Well at least they are tying. Bless them!!! CBG

Have just been advised by our holiday company that we have to pay £40 (£20 each)
The aircraft that we are flying in takes well over 300 passengers and from experience of this particular flight,its always full.
£20 x 300 = £6000
I just hope our government spends the money wisely

Earlier in the thread it was mentioned how this Air Passenger Duty was dubbed a 'departure tax' because it was payable on the outward flight only. However as this article from today's Travelmole highlights, if you are travelling on a return domestic flight, the duty will be payable on both sectors. The article concentrates on Scottish based travellers, but obviously the same situation would apply to domestic air passengers from other parts of the UK:

Scotland will bear the brunt of APD hike

Scottish travellers will bear the brunt of the increased Air Passenger Duty, according to the Scottish Passenger Agents' Association.

The SPAA said passengers leaving the UK will only pay the increased charge once, but a Scottish customer that has to buy a separate ticket to travel to and from London in order to travel onward to another country will be forced to pay APD three times - once on the flight from Scotland to London, again on the outbound European or long-haul flight, and yet again on the homebound connecting flight back to Scotland.

If a through-ticket is purchased then only one charge will apply, but this is frequently not possible, particularly for the thousands of travellers who now regularly use low-cost airlines.

In a statement issued by the SPAA today, president Sandy MacPherson said: "The tax increase is unfounded and ill-conceived, with no prior travel sector consultation - on time scales for its introduction, or its inconsistent treatment of passengers.

"While we understand fully that this tax is imposed by the UK Government, once again Scottish travellers will be penalised more than their counterparts in the South, and bear the brunt of this inequity."

"For families travelling on holiday from Scotland, this represents a huge increase in costs, which will not even be allocated to 'green' initiatives, but go straight to the Exchequer," added MacPherson

"Many tour operators who were already planning 'environmental offsetting' investment have now abandoned such schemes as the overall cost will not be sustainable."

The SPAA said there will be chaos at Britain's airports when the tax comes into effect.

APD will double on February 1 from £5 to £10 on intra-EU flights and from £20 to £40 on long-haul for each economy class sector flown.

Passengers who booked before announcement will still have to pay, causing increased pressure on travel agency and airport staff and increased collection costs.

With permission from Travelmole

Looking at the above report I cant see why this tax impacts on Scottish people more than those from other parts of the UK. Don't forget that if you fly abroad many airports in other countries impose various forms of departure or airport taxes when you leave their country. Also many people from England also fly in and out of London airports for connecting flights.

Hi Trisantona ... that is just the opinion of the SPAA. I'm sure that the travel industry in Northern Ireland or Northern England would make similar claims about the effects of APD in their areas. I just used that report to highlight the implications of APD on return domestic air travel, as opposed to the flights which we more frequently discuss in this forum.

David

Thanks to martin d wilson2. for the link :-http://www.writetothem.com/

I have voiced my objection to this poll tax of the sky and ask everyone to do the same.

Am I correct in saying that a cow's flatulence is causing greater harm to the ozone then the airline industry?

First Choice launches consumer campaign against APD rise

First Choice Holidays is to launch a consumer awareness campaign against increased Air Passenger Duty.

It is calling on its customers to make their views known by sending a postcard urging Gordon Brown to reconsider.

Leaflets will be issued to holidaymakers on its aircraft and in its retail stores. Inside customers will find a detachable postcard addressed to Gordon Brown complaining about the tax.

Customers do not need to pay for postage as a member of First Choice staff who will send it on their behalf.

The information will also be put onto the company's website and emailed to its customer database.

First Choice Mainstream managing director Dermot Blastland said: "The Government's position on this issue is frankly ridiculous. Gordon Brown is presenting himself as a leader on green issues, but this tax has nothing to do with protecting the environment. The whole thing is just a cynical tax to help inflate the Government's coffers and the people who suffer are our customers.

"Customers need to be aware that we are simply acting as Gordon Brown's tax collectors. The cost of the tax on retrospective bookings to First Choice alone is £5 million and in the majority of cases, customers who have already booked will not be asked to pay the additional tax. However, we are having to re-consider our position on some bookings."

First Choice said customers travelling in February and March who have already settled their final invoice will not be required to pay the additional cost.

First Choice recently announced the introduction of its own carbon offsetting scheme, in which it will match customer donations £1 for £1. It claims a 100% uptake of the scheme would ensure that the majority of First Choice Airways emissions would be offset.

The tour operator has estimated that the increase in revenue generated for APD by First Choice Mainstream Sector alone will be £21,000,000 per year

It argues that that is three times higher than the total cost of offsetting CO2 emissions by First Choice customers, based on a spot price of carbon and including radiative forcing.

It also pointed out that the tax bears no relation to a number of measures First Choice's airline has in place to reduce fuel usage.

Thomson, meanwhile, is encouraging its customers to sign a petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Air-Travel.

With permission from Travelmole

First Choice said customers travelling in February and March who have already settled their final invoice will not be required to pay the additional cost.

We fly out to Fuerteventura with First Choice on 31st March and return on 14th April, I booked the holiday in November '05 and paid the balance last Spring. Do you think we'll be exempt from the tax?

From the above I would say that it is likely that FC will pay the additional tax on your behalf!! No-one is exempt - it's just a case of whether the tour companies absorb the cost themselves or pass it on.

Should think it's gonna cost those airlines who are not passing the costs on a fortune ...............!! Trouble is that particularly with the short-haul increase, it will cost them almost as much to administrate collecting the extra tax from those who have settled holiday costs in full and then forwarding it to our delightful chancellor as it will do to pay it themselves. It's put them in an absolute no-win situation - and they can have as much of my support as they want in protesting!! Ill-conceived is a mild way of putting it - and to introduce it at such short notice is ridiculous IMHO....

I don't necessarily totally disagree with the ethic (as long as the money collected actually does something constructive for the environment) - but the way they have gone about it is ABSURD!

On the ITV news tonight they were doing a report from Antartica about the effects of global warming etc and were talking about people offsetting their carbon emissions, apparently we all should have a guilty complex about using a jet plane because of the emissions but the fact is we can offload this guilt by offsetting carbon emissions by paying a small surcharge to specialist companies that re-invest in eco friendly schemes. An example was given that a flight from H'row to New York would cost £4.53 to absolve any guilt you might have over the carbon emissions from that flight, but seeing that the government has now introduced the rise in APD it will be obviously be forwarding this on our behalf? so we are all now guilt free, in fact we are paying more than enough to redress the balance, so we can now assume that the government will now take responsibility for the environment instead of dishing out its usual spin about how we as individuals should be doing our bit , we are doing our bit for tony/gordon (not sure whos in charge) they've got our £5, but will they put their money where their mouth is?

'in fact we are paying more than enough to redress the balance,

Why is it only Britain out of all the countries in the world???? Mugged again!

Picked up our tickets today from first choice.
When I enquired whether we needed to pay the new duty, was told no.
We are travelling out on 8th Feb. Hope we were given the right info.

Thomsonfly cushions impact of APD rise

Thomsonfly is offsetting the hike in Air Passenger Duty next month by discounting the equivalent amount off holiday accommodation booked via its website.

The arrangement applies to travellers with pre-booked flights on or after February 1 who will be required to pay the additional £5 APD before they travel.

The new scheme is designed to help the airline's passengers share the burden of the new charges.

"Recognising that this tax will be an unexpected and unwelcome additional financial burden, Thomsonfly is offering affected customers a unique opportunity by discounting the equivalent amount from any new Thomson accommodation booking," a statement from the airline said.

Travellers can search hotels, villas and apartments by clicking on "Hotels" at http://www.thomsonfly.com.

Those who cancel their bookings will be required to adhere to standard cancellation terms.

With permission from Travelmole

Just received an email from BMI baby regarding a flight I booked in Oct 2006. It states "Gordon Brown recently announced an increase in air passenger duty from 1st February 2007. This increase will apply to all passengers travelling on or after 1st Feb 2007.

This we all know!!!

It also states that bookings made on or after 9th December 2006 already include the increased tax and there will be nothing further to pay. I'm assuming this applies to other airlines as well.???

i am a bit confused here,and a bit stupid, i have had the same email from bmi baby telling me they will take it from my card,but i cant remember which card i payed with,silly me ,i payed 149 pounds return flights to alicante for march this year i booked last june for five people,good price i know, so how much in total will they take off me, 25 pounds or 50 pounds, thanks for any help

it should 'only' be £25.

I think £25 , I have three flights booked on seperate occassions for the two of us and expect to pay £30. I originally thought £50 but read the email from BMI again and we are only being asked for the increase.
Have a good time, the quality remains long after the price has been forgotten.

Dave.

I popped into our local First Choice travel agents yesterday and asked whether I would have to pay the tax on my holiday for this Easter, which was booked and paid for many months ago. The lady I spoke to said First Choice had not yet decided what to do with existing bookings and were hanging on for a little while longer, although she had heard that anyone travelling after 1st Feb with FC would have to pay. I mentioned that I'd heard it was for anyone travelling after 31st March, and she said FC are still deciding what to do
I told her I was worried about big queues at the airport with everyone having to pay this extra money and she said they won't be collecting payments at the airport, they will send a letter in advance if payment is required.
She also said she thought the tax was a ridiculous way of collecting more money for other things and nobody has any way of knowing whether the government will actually use the money for what it says it's for

Have a good time, the quality remains long after the price has been forgotten

I don't actually mind paying the extra if I have to. We're travelling short-haul and there's three of us so it's only £15 in total - I spend more than that on drinks and snacks at the airport before we've even got on the plane