Air passenger tax

[Ekally1]

A big U turn for the air passenger tax on domestic flights . Scottish gov instead of reducing this tax is now going to increase it .

[Iain]

The Scotsman claims they're thinking about it, that's quite different from saying they're "going to" do so. It's also questionable whether that could be described as a "U turn" either, given previous plans to reduce it were dropped a number of years ago.

The discusion is generally focussed on domedtic flights and afaik the ScotGov can only apply any tax on flights departing scotland, so the inbound would still attract reduced UK APD. The article also highlights a number of issues that may prevent any rise in Scotland alone.

One must also wonder about the real impact of APD rates anyway - APD on domestic flights was reduced substantially a year ago across the UK, yet at GLA we've seen no significant addition of new domestic routes or capacity - indeed we're soon to lose our longstanding EXE route and don't have routes to the likes of CWL that we did have when domestic APD was higher. This rather calls into question the claims made by the likes of FR that air taxes make a huge difference and that reductions in taxes lead to large expansion.

[Ekally1]

The Scotsman claims they're thinking about it, that's quite different from saying they're "going to" do so. It's also questionable whether that could be described as a "U turn" either, given previous plans to reduce it were dropped a number of years ago.

The discusion is generally focussed on domedtic flights and afaik the ScotGov can only apply any tax on flights departing scotland, so the inbound would still attract reduced UK APD. The article also highlights a number of issues that may prevent any rise in Scotland alone.

One must also wonder about the real impact of APD rates anyway - APD on domestic flights was reduced substantially a year ago across the UK, yet at GLA we've seen no significant addition of new domestic routes or capacity - indeed we're soon to lose our longstanding EXE route and don't have routes to the likes of CWL that we did have when domestic APD was higher. This rather calls into question the claims made by the likes of FR that air taxes make a huge difference and that reductions in taxes lead to large expansion.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/ ... ed-4598452

Think you meant to say "drawing up plans" rather than thinking about it

[atuk]

A bad move all round. Yet another way to deter business and make our country less competitive.

Is the air alternative rail travel? If so I hope they realise just how much adverse impact there has been on the rails due to weather events, strikes, staffing and journey times.

[Planeenthusiast]

Just another anti aviation policy from the SNP/Green coalition. Sturgeon did her best to destroy the sector with political games during the pandemic. The Greens now control the SNP. Tax tax tax is their obsession. Bad for Scottish tourism, bad for the aviation sector and all the businesses that rely on a flourishing travel sector more generally.

[G-WATP]

I can't imagine that this proposal will be implemented before the 2026 Holyrood elections. Whether or not it is after that depends on the makeup of that parliament. There's a reasonable chance therefore that this proposal goes nowhere.

[Clive]

Just another anti aviation policy from the SNP/Green coalition. Sturgeon did her best to destroy the sector with political games during the pandemic. The Greens now control the SNP. Tax tax tax is their obsession. Bad for Scottish tourism, bad for the aviation sector and all the businesses that rely on a flourishing travel sector more generally.

Don’t talk mince.

[Planeenthusiast]

Just another anti aviation policy from the SNP/Green coalition. Sturgeon did her best to destroy the sector with political games during the pandemic. The Greens now control the SNP. Tax tax tax is their obsession. Bad for Scottish tourism, bad for the aviation sector and all the businesses that rely on a flourishing travel sector more generally.

Don’t talk mince.

Very mature…

[Clive]

Just another anti aviation policy from the SNP/Green coalition. Sturgeon did her best to destroy the sector with political games during the pandemic. The Greens now control the SNP. Tax tax tax is their obsession. Bad for Scottish tourism, bad for the aviation sector and all the businesses that rely on a flourishing travel sector more generally.

Don’t talk mince.

Very mature…

Same. Right that’s this thread locked. Some people never learn.