Flying
How
can
we control the massive increase in flying which is creating
such serious damage to the environment ?
The Coalition
government is taking bold steps to
raise airport passenger duty (A.P.D.) on air travel.
Their scheme is
rather complicated but these are the
main effects :
#
People
travelling
short
distances (less than
2,000 miles) in economy class will pay only a little more - £12
rather than £11;
#
Anyone
travelling
a medium distance
(between
2,000 and 4,000 miles) will pay £60 in A.P.D. - a rise of 35%;
#
If
you
travel 4,001
to
6,000
miles, you will pay £75;
#
Long
distance
passengers (more than 6,000 miles) will pay £85 - a rise of 55%;
#
If
you
travel in premium,
business
or
first class,
you'll pay
£170 in A.P.D.
The obvious fault in the scheme is that people who
fly short distances will not be more heavily penalised. They could
easily travel by rail. And there will be complaints that anyone
travelling in a private jet will not pay A.P.D. at all.
The message is clearly : Fly
less