Thomas Cook waives APD on long haul holidays
- New brochures launch ‘Beat the Taxman’ campaign that guarantees a saving of £75 per person for bookings made before 16 December 2010
With the latest phase of increases in Air Passenger Duty (APD) to be introduced from 1st November 2010, Thomas Cook UK & Ireland is launching a ‘Beat The Taxman’ promotion. This will offer holidaymakers a guaranteed saving of £75 per person off any long haul holiday booked between 28th October and 16th December 2010.
The increases, imposed by the Government from next week, will see holidaymakers paying 50 percent more in APD to travel to popular long haul destinations including the Caribbean, Kenya, India and Mexico. Following on from a rise last year, economy cabin tax to these destinations will increase from £50 to £75 per passenger, and premium cabins from £100 to £150.
Thomas Cook’s ‘Beat the Taxman’ promotion sets out to waive the APD charged on economy flights and is available on all long haul holidays booked during the promotion period for departures after 1st May 2011. This includes holidays currently on sale and on holidays that feature in the latest editions of Thomas Cook Tropical Shores, Thomas Cook Florida & Las Vegas and Airtours Far & Away brochures that go on sale on 28th October 2010.
Manny Fontenla-Novoa, Group CEO, Thomas Cook Group, said, “We have, and will continue to, strenuously voice our disappointment to the Government that is has continued with its plans to increase APD.
“In either in its current form of a per passenger duty, or the per aircraft option being discussed by the coalition Government, there is no evidence of this tax having any environmental benefit and we will continue to lobby on behalf of our holidaymakers.
“Through our ‘Beat the Taxman’ promotion we hope to support holidaymakers’ disapproval of these new charges that they will now incur alongside reiterating our commitment to offering our customers the very best value money.”
In addition, as a result of the new APD charges, Thomas Cook Airlines is removing the Premium Seat option from all its outbound flights from May 2011 – the option remains for inbound long haul flights for just £50 per person. The premium seat cabin on flights from the UK will be included in the normal seat allocation process when holidaymakers check in at the airport.
Manny Fontenla-Novoa added “It’s ridiculous to think that holidaymakers travelling in premium seats on one of our long haul charter flights will have to pay the same APD fee as those flying in first class on a scheduled flight – so we’ve removed this cost from their holidays.”