More benefits to road than aviation taxes

One of your correspondents asks why aviation fuel is tax-free (Irish Examiner letters, October 30).

The problem is that if aviation fuel was taxed in one country, airlines would simply refuel in other countries where it is tax-free.

Airline passengers already pay taxes on tickets which are greater than the cost of the seat. Furthermore, the ticket pays all direct and indirect costs such as airport charges, air traffic control, etc.

The situation for road-users is different. Although fuel is taxed, the infrastructure (roads) and services (policing, lighting, emergency services, etc) are all provided free.

The road fund licence, contrary to popular belief, only covers about half the money spent by local councils — the money spent by the NRA on national roads comes from the public purse.

Sure, a 100% tax on aviation fuel is justifiable to combat global warming, but as it would only add about 10% to the cost of a short-haul flight, its effect would be minimal.

Far better would be the introduction of road charges to cover all direct and indirect costs, including the cost of pollution and global warming. This would quadruple the cost of motoring and have numerous benefits such as reduced road congestion, fewer accidents, less pollution and reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Public transport would be competitive and flourish and we’d wonder why we ever needed cars in the first place.

Michael Job

Rossnagreana

Glengarriff

Co Cork