+ ON THE SOAPBOX: Karen Dee, Chief Executive, Airport Operators Association

Karen Dee joined the Airport Operators Association (AOA) as Chief Executive in March 2017 after a career encompassing more than 20 years’ experience in policy development, communications and representation activities within the transport sector, incorporating roles in government, consultancy and trade associations including the Department for Transport and the Confederation of British Industry.

Dee has been the leader of the airport industry during the most difficult times in living memory, the Covid pandemic.

The AOA Annual dinner takes place at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane London on Tuesday 19 March.

"2024 is predicted to be a good year for UK aviation. Overall passenger numbers finally look set to surpass those last seen in 2019, before the pandemic. Airports have begun to report they are back in profit. And investment in measures to improve the passenger experience are progressing.
 
There remains, however, a number of opportunities for the government to supercharge the recovery of UK airports, increase the attractiveness of the UK as a destination for foreign visitors, and boost the country’s economy further.  The Chancellor should make the occasion of his Budget next week the time to enact them.
 
The most obvious of these is to reinstate tax-free shopping for international visitors to the UK. This ought to be a tangible benefit to the UK’s departure from the EU, as we can now offer these benefits to European citizens as well as those from the US, China, the Middle East, and elsewhere.
 
It is also being recommended by organisations up and down the country, with over 500 signing up to a letter of support arranged by the business community and sent to the Chancellor this week. They know that it will stimulate jobs and investment, increase footfall on local high streets, and boost the whole economy.
 
We only have to look across the Channel to see the opportunity we are missing out on. Spending by American visitors to places like France, Spain and Italy, where tax-free shopping is available, is two or three times the level of the UK. And at Heathrow Airport, spending by Chinese visitors is down by two-thirds on 2019 levels.
 
We appreciate that the nation’s financial resources are tight at this time, however, all research and data demonstrate that this measure will generate much more in spend. And when businesses from across the spectrum of activity and the broad sweep of the UK are as united as they are on the issue, the government must act.
 
Should the Chancellor decide not to follow the advice of ourselves and others, however, when he gets up to the Despatch Box next Wednesday, we will continue to push him on the subject. The UK is putting itself at a competitive disadvantage compared to other European countries, and visitors are being put off from coming here.
 
We think this is something that is easily rectified with small changes that will result in much better outcomes. The Chancellor should listen".

www.aoa.org.uk

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READERS' COMMENT

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Brian Hope, Paris

Karen Dee words about VAT tax free shopping are very true for overseas visitors but I believe by the date of the AOA dinner it will be to late for this year, the Budget speech having been made. She did not mention VAT on pilot training, not really in her preserve. This taxation anomaly should have been removed years ago.