[Anonymous]

[transtraxman]

Two bits of interesting news which appear on BREAKING TRAVEL NEWS
1- BA to reduce flights to the Caribbean, but increase them to Florida

http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/british-airways-plans-to-cut-caribbean-routes/

2- While Virgin Atlantic is to increase flights to the Caribbean

http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/virgin-pledges-commitment-to-caribbean/

This news changes the picture on route developments at BA.
BA blame the Air Passenger Duty(APD). I cannot understand how this is applied to the benefit of North America while British territories and Commonwealth countries are prejudiced.

Is it not time for you influential captains of the economy to twist a few arms and put a stop to this mad tax?
If a tax is to be applied then it should be done it based on three criteria
a)- Size of aircraft (i.e. passenger capacity – used or not)
b)- Gases produced (the amount of polluting fumes, dirt and particles)
c)- noise pollution (i.e. decibel counts on landing and take off)

Obviously, it is impossible to give different rates for every single aircraft, but bands in each category can be used. Did not Michael Heseltine make some sense out of the hated poll tax? He introduced bands which simplified it and made it more like the old “rates”. A similar approach is urgently needed.
Use your influence to get the APD scrapped.

[VintageKrug]

BA is only cancelling one weekly flight to Montego Bay; it will still serve Kingston. Hardly a material reduction in flights to the Caribbean, and BA introduced both San Juan, St. Kitts and Punta Cana only a couple of years ago.

APD is certainly harming the Caribbean disproportionately; the taxes have become too steep and while I would favour a total abolition in favour of a tax on the airport itself, some sort of restructure is essential.

An APD rise planned by Labour was already cancelled last year by gorgeous George; let’s hope the same happens next April.

[Tete_de_cuvee]

The impact of ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme) will be another cost / duty to watch.
ETS will kick in Jan 2012, it will add 6% to the cost of fuel. Initially the equivalent of four fifths of prior year consumption will be given as a free allowance.

Expect the allowance to reduce over time. Plus any rise in consumption will receive zero allowance ie A full 6% will be applied.

[Bucksnet]

The trouble with the current APD bands is that they are calculated using the distance from London to the capital city of the country concerned. So anywhere in the USA would be the same, even Hawaii, as the band is based on Wasington, DC. Caribbean islands are further away, so could fall into a higher band.

APD needs to be abolished, but I don’t agree with a tax on the airport. The whole man made climate change thing is bo****ks, yet another reason to get out of the EU and avoid the bulls**t ETS.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“The whole man made climate change thing is bo****ks, yet another reason to get out of the EU and avoid the bulls**t ETS.”

With all due respect, it wasn’t the EU who was caught ‘spinning the figures on climate change’, but a UK university.

More evidence that many of the so called ‘EU’ problems are caused by the insel affen themselves.

I also live in the EU, our APD is reasonable.

[RichHI1]

I agree Scrap APD and remove the EU stupidity
Without direct reference to posters, who or what on earth is “gorgeous George”?

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Georgeous George is VK getting mixed up.

He means George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer of Monkey Island, but most understand this to be either George Galloway (politician) or older folks think of a professional wrestler in the US, who passed away in 1963.

FYI, the EU stupidity is mainly UK stupidity in applying the directives and often exceeding them. The rest of Europe is not so badly afflicted.

[Bucksnet]

We need to get out of the EU to avoid the ETS.

‘Gorgeous’ George is another bankers stooge who will do what he’s told, and not what is best for the country.

[RichHI1]

Now that’s funny…. he could not have less credentials as a male model than an economist…

I agree that the Uk implementations are to blame for many issues and indeed I think the ill advised UK decisions to join the EEC and the EU are to blame for most of the ills. The Eu does make sense for Europeans with linked borders, economies and histories . My comments however were referring to the posturing of several Eurocrats ready to “take on the world” in being detached from reality. Trying to restore some sort of European post empire power on China and the USA let alone the smaller countries is not a winning formula when you are lookign to sell them airbuses and increase your trading pattern generally.

[NTarrant]

Disgusted, George Osborne is refered to as gorgeous George, I doubt anyone would want George Galloway to refered to as being gorgeous, so I’m afraid VK is correct.

The EU is stupid and corrupt, it must be as members, with the exception of the UK don’t play by the rules and pick and choose what rules they want, like Malta who has received massive payments from the EU financed by the likes of the UK, France, Germany.

You are right we are stupid in the UK, stupid to accept all these rules and stupid to stay in the EU

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

See para 4

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/sep/16/iraq.interviews

[Bucksnet]

The MPs are not stupid, they know what they’re doing is all part of the plan. The ones who are stupid are the public who keep voting for more of the same, and won’t vote in any significant numbers for parties who will take us out of the EU, even though 66% or so want to leave.

[NTarrant]

Don’t read the Guardian, its for sandle wearing lefties

[RichHI1]

Sandal – thought I would save VK the time so he can continue with his “gorgeous George” (Still laughing over that)

[Author]

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