The tax is a massive threat to UK airlines and UK tourism.
Already UK taxes on air travel are the highest in the world. The new levels simply take the charges into the stratosphere and negate all the airlines efforts over the past two decades to bring air travel within the reach of a much wider population. The new proposition is that it should return to being the preserve of the rich,- politically and socially a ludicrous proposition.
Originally Gordon Brown said that the February 2007 hike to the present levels was a green move and yet not a cent of the additional £1 bn a year it brought in has been red ringed for environmental use of any kind.It simply goes into the general Government revenue accounts.
The only way round it is to travel ex UK via Eurotunnel or ferry and fly out of Paris, Amsterdam etc. The return trip can be by air into the UK so no problem coming back in except that with round trip pricing by the airlines he who carries a passenger outbound usually brings them back in again which is why the big losers will be the British airlines. Inbound tour groups will tend to fly long haul into the European airports and make surface connections for the UK parts of their itinerary.
There is no sign of any recognition or understanding of this in Whitehall or amongst politicians of any party. Individuals can make a difference right now by writing individually to their MPs spelling out how UK Plc and businesses large and small involved in transport and tourism will lose out. The UK has the most successful and diverse airline industry anywhere in the world outside the USA, all built up through the efforts of entrepreneurs, shareholders and staff. The UK Governments reward for this is to try to cut them off at the knees. Not a great reward for innovation , growth and success.