British APD Changes for Under-16s Come into Force

New changes to Air Passenger Duty come into force today, meaning the tax will no longer be applied to children under the age of 16 travelling in economy class.

The measure, which was announced in the 2014 Autumn statement, was introduced to help families by reducing the cost of flying, and follows the May 1 2015 legislation which saw under 12s exempted from APD.

Flight and deals specialist Cheapflights said the move would mean those with two children aged between 12 and 16 travelling long-haul to APD band B destinations such as the Caribbean and the USA, could see an annual saving of £146 based on one long-haul trip a year – or even £438 for frequent flyers who take up to three annual holidays.

Families taking a trip to a band A destination (less than 2,000 miles) will see savings of £13 per child.

Phil Bloomfield, a spokesperson for Cheapflights, said: “These changes follow a long period of lobbying by the aviation industry and consumer groups alike, and redress longstanding discrepancies in the way this tax is levied.

Bloomfield added that families who had already booked could also see potential refunds. “We’d urge those families with existing bookings to talk with their travel agent or airline to ensure the change in tax bands had already been factored into the price they’d paid for their flights, as some opportunities for refunds may exist.”

Source: TTG Media