Emission tax won’t affect Larnaca and Paphos

THE BRITISH High Commission said yesterday that Paphos and Larnaca airports would not be charged different airport taxes out of the UK under a revised regime coming into effect next year.

On Monday, Britain announced a change in the system of calculating passenger taxes. The new system provides that flights to destinations under 2,000 miles would be charged £11 sterling in tax per passenger for economy class.

Flights over 2,000 miles will be charged £45 sterling, a difference of £34 or €40 one way.

To Larnaca the distance from Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted in air miles is between 2,020 and 2,040 miles depending on from where the flight originates.

Paphos is less than 2,000 air miles from all four London airports, coming in between 1,170 and 1,990 miles.

Monday’s pre-budget report said that, “From November 1, 2009, APD [Air Passenger Duty] will be structured around four distance bands, set at intervals of 2,000 miles from London. This reform will ensure that those flying farther, and therefore contributing more to emissions from aviation, will pay more.”

However the High Commission said yesterday the bands related to the distance of capital cities from London rather than individual destinations, and even though technically Nicosia is slightly over 2,000 miles from London, it has been included by British authorities in the ‘under 2,000-miles band’.

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