BRISTOL AIRPORT WORKERS UNITE AGAINST TAX INCREASES

Bristol Airport is calling on local MPs to back a campaign calling for a Fair Tax on Flying. In a letter to politicians from across the West of England, Airport Chief Executive, Robert Sinclair, warned against further increasing Air Passenger Duty, which already makes UK passengers the most heavily taxed in Europe. Earlier this month leading names in the UK travel and tourism industry, including Bristol Airport, came together to launch the Fair Tax on Flying campaign. As the Chancellor prepares for the Budget, and with Air Passenger Duty having already increased 2,600 per cent since its introduction in 1994, the campaign is calling for a halt on any further rises in aviation tax. A family of four flying from the UK to Florida pay £240 in flight tax, compared with just £11 for an Irish family flying to the same destinations or £15 for a French family. Visitors to the UK are also affected as they are liable to pay the tax when they fly home. Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive at Bristol Airport, commented: “Further increases in aviation tax will make an overseas holiday or a visit to friends and relatives simply unaffordable for many hard-working families in the UK. Flying will once more become the preserve of the wealthy few.” Ends Picture shows (from left to right): Ian Gawman (Airport Fire Department), Alexandra Wood (Customer Operations), Robert Sinclair (Chief Executive Officer) Dawid Masel (Ground Transportation) and Jim Callaway (Airside Operations) posting one of the letters urging local MPs to support the Fair Tax on Flying campaign. About a Fair Tax on Flying The Fair Tax on Flying (www.facebook.com/afairtaxonflying) campaign is an alliance of more than 25 airlines, airports, tour operators, destinations and trade associations who are uniting to call on the Government to make the system of aviation tax in the UK fairer. We already pay the highest levels of aviation tax of any nation in Europe. Fair Tax on Flying campaign members include: ABTA, AOA, ANTOR, British Airways, BAA, BAR-UK, BATA, BMI, Bristol Airport, ETOA, Gatwick Airport, Jet2, Lastminute.com, London City Aiport, Luton Airport, Manchester Airport Group, Monarch, Newcastle Airport, The Caribbean Council, The co-operative travel, Thomas Cook, Tourism Alliance, TUI Travel PLC, ukinbound, Virgin Atlantic. The alliance have set five tests that they are asking the Government to take into account as they review the overall structure or level of aviation tax: 1. Will any revision increase the overall amount travellers pay to fly to and from the UK? 2. Will any change be designed to be offset by the income from the UK’s inclusion in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)? 3. Will a new approach remove the unfairness that travellers buying a premium economy ticket for a few extra inches of legroom are classed the same as first class travellers and pay double the rate of tax? 4. Will any new policy address concerns that defining bands by national capital cities creates unhelpful exceptions that are unfair to passengers and damage destinations? 5. Has the policy’s impact on destinations, trade and tourism been adequately understood and considered? For further information please contact: James Gore, Bristol Airport, 01275 475447 / 07717 896315 Jacqui Mills, Bristol Airport, 01275 473615 / 07712 792915