APD 8% Rise April 1 You have to pay Increase Before you Board

APD 8% Rise Today April 1^st. -  It’s No Joke

Sadly despite appeals from all quarters, the planned 8% rise in APD has gone ahead today.

Passengers who bought tickets BEFORE 3 December last year before GDS’s (essentially central booking servers used by airlines) were updated to the new duty rates and who are flying on or After 1 April may be asked by the airline to pay up the difference before boarding – possibly at the airport when they leave the UK or perhaps at their initial departure airport if flying on a return ticket to the UK.   

Since it is down to the airline whether the cost of collection merits doing so compared to what they have to pay the UK government,  there is no clear industry-wide policy about collecting the addition APD.   If you have not heard from your airline or ticket issuer already it is possible that you will not be asked to stump up before you board.  Fingers crossed!!!

The increased APD rates coming into effect on 1 April  are in red and the amounts the old APD rates are in black.  The  increases are in green.

 Air Passenger Duty (APD)

APD distance bands are from London to the Capital City of Destination Country APD rates

(£ a passenger from 1 April 2012)

Miles from  London                                 UK Economy                          Premium Cabins

Band A (0-2000)                                     £12+ £1 = £13                           £24 +£2  =  £26 

Band B (2001-4000)                               £60 +£5 = £65                          £120 +£10 =  £130

Band C (4001-6000)                               £75 +£6 = £81                          £150 +£12 =  £162

Band D (over 6000)                                £85 +£7 = £92                         £170+£14  =  £184

 The quickest way to find which band your destination country lies in is to search “Distance from London to…………” in your search engine such as Google of Firefox.  Remember though its is the distance to the Capital city.  So even if you are flying to Hawaii,  the distance to Washington DC is the mileage that applies.