The opinion poll, commissioned by easyJet, shows that 80% of the population agrees that all flights, including cargo and private jets, should be taxed.
Sixty-nine per cent said the tax ought to be designed to tackle climate change, while 65% agreed APD should also cover foreign transfer passengers.
The tax has been widely criticised for exempting private jets, cargo aircraft and foreign passengers changing aircraft as well as for under-taxing long-haul passengers.
Environmental campaigners claim APD gives a perverse incentive – because it is a per-passenger charge full aircraft pay the highest tax while empty ones pay no tax at all.
Andy Harrison, chief executive of easyJet, said: ‘APD is a daft tax that the Government promised to reform. It broke its promise and increased the tax burden on the average family instead.
‘People don’t understand why their tax is going up again while pampered fat cats on private jets, cargo planes and foreign transfer passengers still don’t pay any tax at all.
‘We need to make air tax greener and fairer now. It should be reformed from a poll tax into a flight tax that taxes emissions, not families.’
See also:
AITO predicts ‘black Sunday’ (27/10/2009)
Industry leaders agree action on APD (07/10/2009)
‘Carbon offsets should exempt passengers from APD’ (04/09/2009)
WTTC calls for abolition of APD (04/08/2009)
European airports to benefit from UK tax hike (01/06/2009)
easyJet in tax awareness campaign (30/06/2008)