Well here it is – the ugly numbers that Chancellor George Osborn and his flunky Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander will be asking you to pay if you choose to depart the United Kingdom on a flight out of the country:
| 2011 Economy | 2011 Premium | 2012 Economy | 2012 Premium | |||||||
| Band A | 0–2,000 miles from London |
£12 | £24 | £13 | £26 | |||||
| Band B | 2,001–4,000 miles from London |
£60 | £120 | £65 | £130 | |||||
| Band C | 4,001–6,000 miles from London |
£75 | £150 | £81 | £162 | |||||
| Band D | over 6,000 miles from London |
£85 | £170 | £92 | £184 |
These rates are effective from the 1st April 2012. If you book a ticket now and your travel falls after the APD rate rise, you are liable for the new rate of APD.
Which for what was a green tax is now hogwash, and just a blatant taxation effort.
Should you wish to vent your frustration at the Chancellor of the Exchequer and his flunky Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the addressed you need are:
Rt Hon George Osborne MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer
HM Treasury
Horse Guards Road
LONDON SW1A 2HQ
Or
Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury
Horse Guards Road
LONDON SW1A 2HQ
Just in time for the 2012 Olympics.
It is a misconception that this is a green tax, perhaps perpetuated by the government but they have said publicly otherwise. The UK was hard hit by the banking bailout and has used this as a means to recoup some of those costs.
Don’t forget that this APD charge is on top of the additional cost of carbon credits that will be added to the cost of a flight from 1 January 2012 as aviation enters the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
Plus there’s the £75 Visa cost for coming into the UK.
A Schengen visa on the other hand which allows entry and short-stays of less than 90 days is €60. This Schengen visa allows you into Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
With the hub airport overcrowded and subject to cancellations at the drop of a hat, why would you base your business in the UK?