Public Back Call by Environmental Audit Committee to Increase Taxes on Aviation

A MORI Poll has revealed that the public would back calls for higher taxes on aviation. The poll, conducted over the summer, found that over 70% people would back higher taxes if the money went to improve the environment.

The MORI Poll findings (1). will strengthen the hand of the Environmental Audit Committee which today called for higher taxes on flights in order to curb the rocketing emissions from aviation (2). The Committee called for VAT to be imposed on all international air tickets, Air Passenger Duty to be increased in the Budget and for aviation fuel to be taxed.

Tim Johnson, Director of the Aviation Environment Trust, which commissioned the MORI Poll, said, “The poll shows that politicians need not be afraid of raising taxes on aviation. The public would be willing to pay more in fares, particularly if the extra money was used to improve the environment.”

John Stewart, the Chair of the Heathrow campaign group, HACAN ClearSkies, said, “The Government is out-of-step with public opinion in its refusal to remove the tax breaks the aviation industry enjoys. The poll shows that people take a grown-up attitude towards the environment and it should stop treating us like cry-babies who will stamp our feet if our cheap flights are taken away from us.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:
(1). Details of the MORI Poll can be found on the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) – Homepage. Its main findings were:

  • Over 70% of people supported an increase of 20 Pounds on a flight to Paris and around 200 Pounds on a flight to Australia if the extra money went towards improving the environment;
  • 68% of people said that protecting the environment should be given priority even at the risk of slowing down economic growth in the air travel industry;
  • Only 29% of people opposed a policy of slowing down the growth in air travel.

(2). The report by the Environmental Audit Committee was published today (7/8/06).

For further information call:

John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650

Tim Johnson on 0207 248 2223