The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has announced that air passenger duty (APD) will be cut for passengers travelling on direct long-haul routes departing from airports in Northern Ireland.
From 1 November, the direct long-haul rate of APD will fall to the lower short-haul rate – currently £12 per passenger in economy and £24 for business and first class passengers.
The decision means the future of Continental Airlines flights from Belfast International Airport to New York is now secured.
Andrew Strong, Managing Director, Flybe UK said: “Flybe welcomes the Chancellor’s acknowledgement that air services from the UK’s regions are impacted by the high price of Air Passenger Duty (APD). Indeed we look forward to the Treasury expanding these plans so that other lifeline regional routes, including domestic lifeline routes, may receive a differential rate of APD. Given Northern Ireland’s status as an airline-dependent region, such a move would be a real boost for potential inward investment and the local economy in general. It is nothing short of scandalous that domestic passengers travelling to and from the province should be hit not once but twice by this tax unlike Europe-bound travellers who only pay once. In addition, Flybe welcomes the Chancellor’s move to devolve APD to Stormont, which is something we explicitly called for earlier this year, the only airline to do so.”