Review of air passenger duty on domestic flights

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

Boris Johnson is promising a review of air passenger duty on domestic flights in an effort to boost connectivity in areas "left off" the transport map.

A consultation will examine options including creating a new lower domestic rate or exempting return flights.

The move is likely to be welcomed by struggling airline operators hit by Covid but worry environmental groups.

The PM will also announce £20m for rail and road links and a review of a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Mr Johnson has championed the idea of a bridge or tunnel connecting Northern Ireland with the British mainland, describing the proposal as "very interesting" despite scepticism from the Northern Irish and Scottish governments.

Two routes, between Portpatrick and Larne and Campbeltown and the Antrim coast, have been proposed.

Announcing the findings of an interim report into transport connectivity on Wednesday by Sir Peter Hendy, the PM will confirm that a study will be carried out for the first time into the idea's feasibility.

grahame posts story and stands back for member post their views 

[Lee]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

Boris Johnson is promising a review of air passenger duty on domestic flights in an effort to boost connectivity in areas "left off" the transport map.

Celebrations at Pilning Station Group, as the news finally facilitates a scheme to merge the current and SEWWEB-proposed sites, and Boris, Olga Taylor, Red Squirrel and grahame formally unveil Pilning Westgate North Bristol Airport Parkway to thunderous acclaim.

Sorry about the edit flag, Lee - think we both added an extra end-quote at the same time - grahame

[grahame]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

Boris Johnson is promising a review of air passenger duty on domestic flights in an effort to boost connectivity in areas "left off" the transport map.

Celebrations at Pilning Station Group, as the news finally facilitates a scheme to merge the current and SEWWEB-proposed sites, and Boris, Olga Taylor, Red Squirrel and grahame formally unveil Pilning Westgate North Bristol Airport Parkway to thunderous acclaim.

Come, come Lee - you'll be suggesting the use of Pilning station to access a surfing (waves, not internet) facility next.

Oh ... wait ...

[bradshaw]

Interim Report to be found here

(Department for Transport - about)-Union-Connectivity-Review-Interim-Report-March-2021.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/967908/DfT-Union-Connectivity-Review-Interim-Report-March-2021.pdf

[Bob_Blakey]

We appear to have been blessed with an administration who are quite happy to repeatedly raise rail fares on the grounds that train passengers must bear more of the financial cost of providing the service, but freeze fuel duty and continue to partially fund the road system via general taxation, and then also propose a reduction in domestic APD^▸ (Air Passenger Duty), measures which have exactly the opposite effect.

Doesn't exactly chime with their claim that 'greening' of the economy is an absolute priority. Coupled with the current suspension of a number of rail electrification schemes it just makes them look hypocritical and/or incompetent.

And Carrie will be furious! 

[Robin Summerhill]

I'm surprised.

This thread has been open for five hours and there's still no sign of a certain member who usually enjoys giving us the benefit of his views on air traavel...   

[broadgage]

Well here are my views.
Air transport is virtually 100% fossil fuel powered and likely to remain so.
Aircraft and jet engines are mature technologies and unlikely to improve significantly in efficiency.

Domestic air travel is bad because the energy losses in take of and landing are a greater proportion of the total.

Long haul flights are bad because the speed permits of great distances being covered. The fuel used per mile* per passenger* is broadly similar to that used in driving* but huge distances are covered. Only a tiny minority would drive thousands of miles for a holiday, but flying such distances is routine.

I am therefore opposed to any form of grant, subsidy, tax break or other incentive that encourages more flying. We should be moving away from air travel by not offering any form of encouragement.

The only way to significantly reduce the fuel used for aviation is to fly less, I have no faith in claims that that we can fly as normal whilst in some way trading or offsetting the carbon emissions.

Elswhere on these fora I have objected to ever increasing train fares whilst motoring gets cheaper. We now have cheaper flights as well.

If we are serious about the climate emergency we need to fly and drive a LOT less. Which means making flying and driving more expensive and not cheaper.

*No great accuracy may be claimed in this statement, as aircraft and cars vary a lot in fuel use and load factor. However as an approximation it is true.

[TonyK]

I am therefore opposed to any form of grant, subsidy, tax break or other incentive that encourages more flying.

Me too. The prime minister's plan is to remove or reduce a tax on travel to an offshore part of the union, rather than offer a tax break. I'm glad we can agree.

In any case, I am sure this is only a temporary measure, until the £100 billion tunnel via the Isle of Man and a new underground magic roundablout is complete, giving entirely carbon-free travel.

[CyclingSid]

The Antipodeans have a slightly different view to kicking starting public transport

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-56355694

I am not a betting man, but I think the odds of half-price rail fares to boost the domestic travel industry are minimal.

[grahame]

From Simple Flying

Air France will significantly scale back its domestic network in a bid to cut costs and reach environmental goals required by its bailout deal. The changes will mean that the airline’s domestic network out of Paris Orly Airport will shrink drastically, with routes to cities like Lyon and Bourdeaux canceled and replaced by train services. Here’s more on these changes.

Air France has been offering a Flight + Train service for some years now, connecting several destinations to its hubs in Paris. However, the airline’s €7bn ($8.3bn) bailout package last year requires it to take steps to reduce its environmental footprint further, starting with cutting domestic connections.

Under the bailout conditions, Air France cannot compete with the high-speed TGV^▸ (Train a Grande Vitesse) trains on routes under 2.5 hours. This means routes like Paris Orly to Lyon, Bourdeaux, Nantes, and more have been axed. However, connecting flights through Paris CDG are still allowed under the rules, keeping some services in the air.

[Thatcham Crossing]

Sounds sensible, but the major difference is that the French have proper high-speed rail to those places where flying will be curtailed. Trains that run on mostly straight tracks at 186mph/300kmh.

Meanwhile in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), large parts of the mainline Great Western network potter along at 60-70mph (eg, large parts of Devon and all of Cornwall). The places that do have higher linespeeds (eg, London to Bristol/Cardiff) are too close to fly to.

[IndustryInsider]

Sounds sensible, but the major difference is that the French have proper high-speed rail to those places where flying will be curtailed. Trains that run on mostly straight tracks at 186mph/300kmh.

Meanwhile in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), large parts of the mainline Great Western network potter along at 60-70mph (eg, large parts of Devon and all of Cornwall). The places that do have higher linespeeds (eg, London to Bristol/Cardiff) are too close to fly to.

There are however certain flows outside of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) where a similar thing could happen in theory, before HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) - Manchester to London being the obvious one.  And continuing the French theme, how about Paris (and Brussels) to London.

[TonyK]

Sounds sensible, but the major difference is that the French have proper high-speed rail to those places where flying will be curtailed. Trains that run on mostly straight tracks at 186mph/300kmh.

It won't catch on in Britain. The environmental lobby are against railways like that.

[Thatcham Crossing]

And continuing the French theme, how about Paris (and Brussels) to London.

IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly), flights between London and those 2 capitals reduced substantially when Eurostar started. Not gone altogether though as there will always be some point-to-point traffic, and people using those airports as a hub to connect from short-haul to long-haul and vice-versa (which they all are to a greater or lesser extent).

[grahame]

Announcing the findings of an interim report into transport connectivity on Wednesday by Sir Peter Hendy, the PM will confirm that a study will be carried out for the first time into the idea's feasibility.

Report (Department for Transport - about)-Union-Connectivity-Review-Interim-Report-March-2021-accessible.pdf" target="_blank">here ... "Union Connectivity" - Scotland, Wales, Northen Ireland and England