Ryanair News

 
News Release
20.10.09

Ryanair Calls on UK Government to Axe Travel Tax Before it Iincreases to £11

 
 
BAA AIRPORTS’ TRAFFIC FALLS BY 8M PASSENGERS (-6%)
WHILE RYANAIR’S TRAFFIC RISES BY 7M PASSENGERS (+13%)
 
Ryanair, the World’s favourite airline, today (20th Oct) called on the UK Government to scrap its suicidal £10 APD travel tax which is set to increase to £11 on 1st November. Ryanair highlighted that traffic at the UK’s largest airport operator, BAA, has fallen by 6% in the last 12 months with 8.5m fewer passengers at seven BAA UK airports. While the UK’s traffic and tourism declines Ryanair’s traffic has grown by 13%, with 7m additional passengers in the past year.
 
Passengers
12mts to Sep08
12mts toSep09
Fall/Rise
BAA Apts
147m
139m
-8M (– 6%)
Ryanair
56m
63m
+7M (+13%)
 
Ryanair believes that the UK’s traffic and tourism decline is a direct result of the Government’s APD tourist tax and that an increase in this tax, coupled with high/increasing BAA monopoly airport charges will result in 10m fewer passengers at BAA airports this year. 
 
Ryanair called again on Gordon Brown’s Government to follow the recent example of the Belgian, Dutch, Greek and Spanish governments all of whom have scrapped tourist taxes and/or reduced airport charges, in some cases to zero, in order to stimulate tourism. 
 
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:
 
“Ryanair continues to grow rapidly as consumers switch from BA’s high fares and fuel surcharges to Ryanair’s low fares. Our traffic grew by 13% in the last 12 months with 7m additional passengers thanks to our low fares. Meanwhile, traffic at the UK’s BAA Monopoly Airports has fallen by 6% with 8m fewer passengers in the last year and BAA airports on course to lose 10m in 2009.
 
“Gordon Brown should follow the Belgian, Dutch, Greek and Spanish governments and start welcoming tourists instead of taxing them. Britain’s traffic and tourism losses will continue as the Government’s APD tourist tax increases to £11 in two weeks time. With passenger numbers consistently in decline it is evident that it is time to axe the tax”.
 

 
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