The union which represents British airline pilots, BALPA has condemned todays budget by Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves as ‘Bad News for the aviation industry.
In her budget, Ms Reeves went against advice form the industry and raised Air Passenger Duty inline with RPI, a move which will hit families going on holiday the hardest as well as regular travellers for business by adding up to £12 per person extra onto the cost of an economy class flight.
Air Passenger Duty is charged on all outbound flights from the UK and forms part of your ticket price, with the money raised going to the exchequer.
| Destination Band | Travel Class | Current Rate (2025/26) | New Rate (From Apr 1, 2026) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic (UK Internal) | Economy (Reduced) | £7 | £8 | +£1 |
| Standard (Business) | £14 | £16 | +£2 | |
| Higher (Private Jets) | £84 | £142 | +£58 | |
| Band A (0 – 2,000 miles) | Economy (Reduced) | £13 | £15 | +£2 |
| Standard (Business) | £28 | £32 | +£4 | |
| Higher (Private Jets) | £84 | £142 | +£58 | |
| Band B (2,001 – 5,500 miles) | Economy (Reduced) | £90 | £102 | +£12 |
| Standard (Business) | £216 | £244 | +£28 | |
| Higher (Private Jets) | £647 | £1,097 | +£450 | |
| Band C (Over 5,500 miles) | Economy (Reduced) | £94 | £106 | +£12 |
| Standard (Business) | £224 | £253 | +£29 | |
| Higher (Private Jets) | £673 | £1,141 | +£468 |
BALPA Director for Strategy and Reform Alice Sorby said, “This Budget is bad news and more bad news for the aviation industry. Firstly, the Chancellor has ignored calls from BALPA – the voice of airline pilots – and the industry and announced plans to increase Air Passenger Duty in line with RPI from April 2027. Bad news for passengers, especially families going on holiday, who now face increased ticket prices.“
BALPA also hit out at the missed opportunity to boost pilot training in the UK for young people. Ms Sorby added: “it’s even more bad news for young people considering a career as a pilot. Rachel Reeves has missed an opportunity to deliver any measures that will make their eye-watering training costs more affordable. This simply isn’t good enough.
“Most people don’t have the means to cover £100,000 for training without a guaranteed job at the end. Too many who have the skills and ambition are giving up on their dreams of flying, and the UK is losing out as a result.
“If the Government wants to drive economic growth through expanding Heathrow, it needs to ensure we have the right skills to fill the new jobs the airport will create. The new runway will deliver 276,000 new flights to the UK every year. We want to see UK-trained pilots in the cockpits of those flights, and Rachel Reeves needs to make pilot training more affordable to achieve this.”.
The rise in APD will be welcomed by environmental campaigners though who want to see a reduction in flying and they will hope increased costs may achieve this, although unlikely.
What is certain though is that the UK government is giving out mixed messages with the announcement of a third runway at London Heathrow and a second runway at London Gatwick being backed and seen as a major driver for the economy , it then adds additional costs on to air travel.
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