According to the airline, APD and the ‘BAA monopoly’s high airport charges’ have resulted in the loss of over 4.5m passengers at BAA UK airports in the first five months of 2009.
It claims that if this ‘traffic collapse’ continues for the full year, not only will the UK economy, airport jobs and tourism suffer, but the Government will lose at least £350m in VAT receipts.
Ryanair chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said: ‘Ryanair will grow by 15% this year to over 67m passengers.
‘However, the UK will not share in any of this growth in 2009 as Ryanair (the only major European airline continuing to grow) freezes growth at our nine UK bases.
‘Gordon Brown’s £10 tourist tax will see Britain lose over 10m passengers, 10,000 airport jobs and more than £2.5bn in tourism spend in the UK this year alone.
‘The Government should follow the example of their Belgian, Dutch, Greek and Spanish counterparts by immediately scrapping this stupid and regressive tourist tax to avoid any further devastation to British tourism and jobs.
‘While the UK keeps taxing tourists Ryanair will switch its growth to other EU countries where low cost airports are growing and where governments are welcoming tourists not taxing them.’
Ryanair’s nine UK bases are: Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow Prestwick, Liverpool, Luton and Stansted.
See also:
Fuel costs and Aer Lingus push Ryanair into red [FYs] (02/06/2009)
Ryanair condemns BAA’s sale appeal (19/05/2009)
APD and visa costs deter inbound visitors (24/04/2009)
Ryanair adds four Italian bases (02/04/2009)
LCCs welcome Dutch flight tax abolition (26/03/2009)
UK airports see first decline in 17 years (16/03/2009)
Ryanair cuts Liverpool routes (19/02/2009)