Two of the UK’s leading Caribbean news organisations have joined forces to inform and rally the Caribbean community and holidaymakers travelling to the region to get behind the ‘A Fair Tax on Flying’ campaign and lobby the government on Air Passenger Duty (APD) and the disproportionate, and unfair impact it is having on Caribbean tourism.
The Caribbean News Network (CANNTV) and CaribDirect.com believe that to bring about any change in the government’s thinking on APD, pressure has to be brought to bear from people travelling to the Caribbean to visit family and on holiday. But to do so, they need to be made aware of the issue of APD and how it affects their pocket.
David F. Roberts, Founder / CEO CaribDirect.com said: “APD has had a detrimental effect on the Caribbean. I have heard of people travelling to the continent to get flights to the Caribbean because it still works out cheaper than flying from the UK. It is an unfair tax and the community needs to be made aware and lobby their respective MP and the government to bring about a desirable change.”
Luke Pollard, Head of Public Affairs at ABTA, who is supporting the campaign said: “The UK has incredibly close ties with the Caribbean, but the Government’s policy on aviation tax is threatening these close bonds by pricing people out of visiting their families, as well as impacting on the jobs of those in the islands who depend on British holidaymakers.
A family of four visiting the Caribbean will pay £324 tax in Air Passenger Duty if travelling in economy which increases to an eye-watering £628 in other classes. This has more than doubled since 2009 with more increases scheduled for 2013.
In addition the illogical structure of APD, which is supposed to be based on distance travelled, sees flights to and from the Caribbean being taxed at a higher rate than often much longer flights to the USA, including Hawaii. We encourage the Caribbean community and everyone who loves the islands to e-mail a letter voicing their opposition to the Government.”
Support for the campaign has been received from ABTA, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic the Caribbean Council; Newmont Travel, Caribbean Tourism Organisation, the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission, Mr Paul Gladstone-Reid MBE world renowned classical composer / producer. All of these companies have voiced their dissent against APD.
Virgin Atlantic has chosen to absorb the cost of AD themselves, rather than pass it on to the customer and Colm Lacy, BA’s head of commercial at Gatwick Airport insists: “APD has damaged the leisure business and the Caribbean is unfairly penalised, which is why we continue to talk about it.”
This campaign kicks off with a short comedic film (skit) on the APD produced by Caribbean News Network (CANNTV) and CaribDirect.com for broadcast on CANNTV, CaribDirect.com, YouTube, Facebook and so on. This will be followed by a series of seminars with high profile panellists, at locations and dates to be disclosed later. Due to limited space these events are by invitation only so interested persons are asked to contact the organisers: [email protected] or [email protected].
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