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Article from TNU NOVEMBER 2024

ON SOAPBOX: Willie Walsh - IATA

With no single voice for UK civil aviation IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, who knows the market better than most, summarises in a statement. His words are more what might be spoken by an airline leader based in the UK, but are welcome.

“The government’s plans to increase air passenger duty revenues by almost 50% over the next five years is bad news for British economy in desperate need of links to world markets. Aviation links are crucial to Britain with the jobs and economic growth that follow. Increasing APD erodes the UK’s overall competitiveness and makes investment by airlines in new aircraft and routes less attractive.

This increase in APD is out of sync with the government’s industrial strategy.  After the recent investment summit, the government said it was looking to attract “growth in every part of the UK” and now it is doing the opposite. Burdening individuals and businesses with an ever-higher APD will weaken Britain’s connections to global markets, not just in London but across the major airports in the regions. Rachel Reeves budget should instead have focused on increasing the productive supply-side of the economy. For aviation that means capacity growth, lower taxes, and investment in sustainable aviation fuels to restore the UK’s position as a global aviation leader.”  


www.iata.org

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