Don’t penalise us

Monday 15th January 2007, 12:00AM GMT.

JERSEY may lobby the UK government to ask for an exemption from a new £5 tax on air passengers that is due to come into force next month.

The Assistant Minister with responsibility for air travel, Deputy Alan Maclean, says he will raise the matter with other Crown dependencies with a view to jointly lobbying the UK government seeking an exemption. Deputy Maclean, who is Assistant Economic Development Minister, said the new tax was unfair on Islanders because air travel is essential in many cases. He pointed out that people have to fly for medical, educational and business reasons among others and do not have the option of using other forms of transport. Meanwhile, a senior Flybe manager says Jersey will become a less attractive place to visit as a result of what he described as an ‘unfair and punitive’ tax on air travel.

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