MPs call for cut in UK air travel duty

A group of UK MPs is urging the government to halve air passenger duty in next week's Autumn Statement, the BBC reported.

In a report, the British Infrastructure Group (BIG) called on Chancellor Philip Hammond to make the cut and then scrap the controversial tax altogether.

Conservative MP Grant Shapps, who leads BIG, said the opportunity could provide an immediate "Brexit dividend" because the government would not have to wait until it left the European Union to make the cut.

Britain charges among the highest rates of air travel taxes anywhere in the world. On economy class flights of more than 2,000 miles, passengers pay £73. On long-haul business class journeys they pay £146 in duty which will increase to £150 in April.

BIG cited industry figures that show the UK's duty for non-economy tickets is three times more expensive than France and four times higher than Germany.

"APD has disproportionate effects on different tickets, disadvantaging flights to the Far East and especially to developing economies, where the cost of a plane ticket from London can be well over 10% tax," the report said.

"If the government is to act on its commitments, especially those of securing new trading partners outside the EU, it must make it as easy as possible to do business, conduct negotiations and to stimulate the exchange of people and skills.

"It cannot continue to actively make extra-European travel more expensive than it needs to be."