Rishi Sunak is hiking taxes on domestic flights – but not for people flying by private jet and helicopter.Details buried in the Finance Bill show that the Government will raise Air Passenger Duty (APD) on all flights within the UK from April, except for the ‘higher’ rate that covers private jets, according to the Mirror.Passengers travelling by economy will see the tax added to the cost of their fare raised from £6.50 to £7 under plans announced in last year’s Budget. Travellers using premium economy or business class flights will see the duty increase from £13 to £14, the Mirror added.But the tax for private jets remains frozen at £78 – and helicopters are entirely exempt as it only applies to “fixed-wing” aircrafts. A Treasury document setting out the policy said: “This measure will impact on some individuals who travel by air, who may see an increase in air fares.”It comes amid ongoing criticism over the Prime Minister’s frequent use of luxury air travel. VIP flight addict Sunak used RAF jets and helicopters more regularly than his last three predecessors during his first year, casting doubt on his climate credentials and fuelling claims he’s out of touch, the Mirror said.The cost of domestic travel has risen since the Tories took power, as the average fare went up by £63 between 2010 and 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics, the reported added.
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