East Leeds families to be hurt by unfair air tax (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

East Leeds families to be hurt by unfair air tax

November 9, 2009 12:00 AM

Hard working Afro-Caribbean families in Leeds are to be hit hard by a new stealth tax which is being introduced by the Government.

The new four-tiered system of air passenger duty rates will tax passengers flying to Caribbean countries charged disproportionately more than passengers to the west coast of America, even though the latter is much further away.

Passengers will be taxed an extra £10 per person on economy flights (the current rate is £40) to the Caribbean as of 1st November 2009. By November 2010 the tax will be increased by a further £25 bringing the tax to £75 per person for economy flights.

Councillor Rev Alan Taylor (Lib Dem, Gipton and Harehills) said:

"I completely fail to understand how the new Air Passenger Duty legislation has been agreed. This is going to have a massive impact on families in my ward many of whom are hard working Afro-Caribbean families who visit the Caribbean regularly to see their relatives.

"A tax of £300 for a family of four to travel in economy class will mean that many families will be separated for longer periods of time. The government have picked a particularly poor time to introduce this new stealth tax, just in time for the festive period when people will want to and indeed should be with their families."