Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
01 December 2014 10:32
Flying from Scotland could become cheaper under new tax powers
Travelling from Scotland could become cheaper for air passengers, following a new deal on tax powers between governments north and south of the border.
A pledge to transfer powers from the UK to the Scottish government could see air taxes dramatically cut, or even scrapped.
The move would be welcomed by those travelling abroad, freeing up extra cash for holiday essentials such as travel insurance and spending money.
Currently, the air passenger duty (APD) in Britain ranges between £13 and £194, depending on how far you are travelling and the class of ticket you buy.
But any move by the Scottish government to slash the tax or get rid of it altogether would make it much cheaper to fly from Scotland than rival airports in England, which may tempt some passengers to rethink where they plan to fly from - particularly if they were already departing from northern airports such as Newcastle.
The tax is disliked by travel companies and airlines, who are concerned that it has a negative impact on the UK economy. They would welcome any cut in Scotland, raising the prospect of more air routes being opened up from the country.
IAG CEO Willie Walsh said families would see a distinct benefit. The boss of the British Airways owner said a family of four heading on holiday to the US would see a saving of £276.
That is money that could be spent on extra excursions while abroad or even on extending the holiday.
Mr Walsh also said that scrapping the tax would provide a boost to the tourism industry in Scotland, suggesting the move could bring in an extra £200 million a year.
Any change to APD, if Scottish politicians decide to go ahead with it, will not happen before the next general election in the UK, which is due in May 2015, as the new powers will not be transferred before that date.
16 August 2018
Holidaymakers in the UK will be hit by more train price hikes from next year, after the Government announced ticket prices will increase by 3.2% in January.
[more...]
15 August 2018
A simple blood test could help GPs detect a rare form of bone marrow cancer much earlier, a new study suggests.
14 August 2018
Passengers arriving at Heathrow Airport last month faced queues of over two and a half hours at passport control, new figures have revealed.
11 August 2018
Hundreds of Ryanair flights will not take off as planned on Friday due to pilot strikes in five countries.
10 August 2018
Fad diets that cut out carbs while increasing fat consumption could lead to an increased risk of diabetes, according to new research.
09 August 2018
HIV testing has become even more accessible after a self-testing kit was made available from a High Street retailer.
08 August 2018
Women patients are more likely to survive a heart attack if they are treated by a female doctor, a new US study has revealed.
07 August 2018
The head of British Airways has branded two-hour queues facing travellers at Heathrow's passport control as a "border farce."
04 August 2018
Simple factors such as gender and body mass can help doctors to personalise care for patients with type 2 diabetes and avoid harmful side effects, according to a study.
03 August 2018
Gatwick Express must no longer claim it runs "non-stop to Victoria station in half an hour" and "in just 30 minutes" unless it can achieve the time in most cases, a watchdog has ruled.
02 August 2018
A charity is calling for greater access to respite support after it emerged that 72% of Britain's 700,000 young carers feel lonely and isolated during the summer holidays.
01 August 2018
A plan to build new rail links with Heathrow Airport and connect Windsor's two train stations have been submitted to the Government.