Air Passenger Duty to rise further as a result of Autumn Statement
UK Chancellor George Osborne confirmed in his annual Autumn Statement this week that Air Passenger Duty (APD) would increase yet again.
The decision has already been slammed by the Board of Airline Representatives (BAR UK), which described the move as “unsurprising and self destructive” for the British economy.
Now the Government faces pressure from ABTA, which has teamed up with BAR UK, to launch an independent review into the economic impact of APD.
Another tsunami warning for Japan after major earthquake shakes Tokyo
North East Japan has been issued with another tsunami warning – 18 months after the tragic effects of the earthquake and subsequent tidal wave which devastated the Fukushima nuclear plant near Tokyo.
The alert follows an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale which hit the coast this week and whose effects were felt in the busy capital, where buildings shook violently.
Although no injuries or deaths have been reported, residents are being urged not to wait and to evacuate before disaster strikes.
Heavy snow disrupts European flights
A number of European flights have been affected by heavy snow – causing delays and cancellations across its northern and central belts.
Airline KLM has cancelled all of its European flights, which total nearly 300, while easyJet and Ryanair have issued proactive warnings regarding flights to and from Northern France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
Passengers are being advised to keep abreast of local weather reports, allow extra time for travelling and to check the status of their flight at every given opportunity.
Ryanair announces new routes from Scotland
Budget airline Ryanair has, this week, announced eight new routes to Europe from Edinburgh and Glasgow Prestwick.
New Edinburgh routes will be to Bologna, Beziers, Cagliari, Corfu, Katowice and Santander while flights to Rzeszow and Warsaw will be introduced from Glasgow.
Ryanair is also increasing the frequency of flights across five of its existing routes from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Edinburgh Airport marks a change in ownership with new branding
Edinburgh Airport has announced plans to roll out a new company brand based on its vision to become the place known as ‘where Scotland meets the world’.
Chairman John Elvidge described it as “an exciting new chapter in the airport’s history, changing the dynamics of Scottish aviation forever”.
Alongside Gordon Dewar, the chairman also unveiled the airport’s new logo – a modern interpretation of its iconic control tower with “an historic twist”.
