British flights escape €10 tax

FLIGHTS to most British destinations will escape the full force of the new air travel tax after Finance Minister Brian Lenihan bowed to pressure from regional airports to exempt them from the top rate.

Under amended arrangements confirmed yesterday, the €10 per passenger rate, due to come into force at the end of next March, will only apply where the destination is more than 300km from Dublin Airport. Flights to nearer destinations will be taxed at the rate of €2 per passenger.

On budget day, Mr Lenihan announced the €10 rate would apply to all destinations more than 300km from the airport of origin but regional airports argued they would be at an automatic disadvantage compared to Dublin as many popular British routes were within 300km of the capital.