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NEWS / FEBRUARY 2010 / FLIGHT TAX HITS POOREST AND ETHNIC MINORITIES HARDEST - PRESS COVERAGE

Flight tax hits poorest and ethnic minorities hardest – press coverage 23 February 2010

The News of the World picked up on the survey we commissioned to explore the impact of air passenger duty on the poor and ethnic minorities. The polling showed that over 60% of those in the lowest social bands and two thirds of ethnic minorities said that the rises which came into force last November will impact on how often they visit their family abroad, compared to just over half of the general population (55%).

The polling, which was commissioned with Populus, was also picked up by TTG, Beat The Brochure, Just The Flight, and e-TID (Travel & Hospitality Industry Digest).

OUR REACTION

Rt Hon Brian Wilson Rt Hon Brian Wilson commenting on

Flight tax hits poorest and ethnic minorities hardest – press coverage

As the coverage highlights, the increases in flight tax will mean that poorer families and ethnic minorities suffer most.  It is a deeply regressive tax.  Many of these people are being taxed out of the right to visit their loved ones.  This is deeply unfair and politically insensitive.

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FlyingMatters reaction to public attitudes to air travel and the environment survey

Reacting to statistics published by the Department for Transport on attitudes to air travel and the environment, showing that the proportion of people willing to pay extra fell from 69% in 2006 to 60% in 2010 among those who do believe that air travel harms the environment and from 50% to 40% among those who have flown in the last 12 months, Brian Wilson, Chairman of FlyingMatters said: "Just as the public's appetite for paying more for flying is waning, the Government plan to push ahead with eye-watering rises in the tax on flying so that from November a family of four will pay up to £340 in tax alone. This will push flying out of the reach of many ordinary families who only fly occasionally."

Read release July 29 2010

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