RYANAIR CALLS ON THE UK GOVT TO SCRAP AIR PASSENGER DUTY IN ORDER TO PROMOTE TOURISM GROWTH

Ryanair, Europe’s favourite low fares airline, today (20 Feb) called on the UK Govt to repeal the APD travel tax in order to stimulate jobs and tourism growth at airports in Northern Ireland, which now operate under a considerate disadvantage to their counterparts in the South, following the Irish Government’s decision to scrap the €3 travel tax from April.

 

Speaking at a Chamber of Commerce function in Derry today, Ryanair’s Deputy Chief Executive, Michael Cawley, called for the abolition of the most expensive flight tax in the world and urged the government to follow the example of its counterparts in Dublin where tourism is set to have a record year of growth following the complete abolition of its travel tax.  In Northern Ireland APD has only been axed on long-haul routes but remains at £13 per passenger on short-haul routes.

Many other EU countries have scrapped their travel taxes, including Belgium and Holland, and most recently Ireland, and have seen immediate benefits in their aviation industry.  Already Ryanair has allocated an additional 1 million passengers to the main Irish airports following the abolition of the tax by the Dublin government. Ryanair strongly believes the repeal of the APD would bring Northern Ireland in line with the South and generate much needed growth at its airports and for its tourism industry.

 

Michael Cawley said:

 “The UK Government’s APD tax is damaging Northern Ireland’s tourism. Northern Ireland cannot grow tourism by taxing visitors and raising airport charges to uncompetitive levels. Other EU countries have returned to growth by scrapping tourist taxes and cutting airport charges, in some cases to zero like Ireland and we urge Northern Ireland to now follow this lead.”