Manchester travel group join push for no APD rise
28.11.11
The chief executives of Manchester Airports Group, budget airline Jet2 and an Altrincham tour operator have joined forces to urge ministers to reverse a plan to increase Air Passenger Duty (APD) next year. They have written to the Chancellor George Osborne ahead of tomorrow's autumn statement, in which he will give an update on the Government’s plans for the economy.
The letter has been signed by Charlie Cornish, chief executive of Manchester Airports Group, Ian Doubtfire, managing director of budget airline Jet2, and Andy Beard, managing director of Greatdays Travel. Jet2 flies to 35 destinations from Manchester Airport and will carry more than 1.2 million passengers in 2011, an increase of 20 percent on 2010, while Altrincham-based tour operator Greatdays takes 80,000 people on holiday every year.
In their letter they said: ‘Aviation is responsible for sustaining thousands of jobs and Manchester Airport makes a crucial contribution to the regional economy. However, the Government’s proposals to increase Air Passenger Duty next year could have devastating consequences on jobs and businesses.’
‘There is a strong likelihood that further rises in aviation tax will depress the number of business travellers and tourists coming to Manchester, at the very time when we need more inward investment and holidaymakers spending money in our regional economy.’
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