Avoiding Air Passenger Duty on flights from UK

[simonb 3]

Hi All

 

The current cost of Air Passenger Duty (APD, Air Passenger Tax) on flights from the UK is so high now (see screenshot attached) - more than the cost of the actual flight itself !

 

Has anyone found a way to avoid it (or pay less) when coming from the UK to Thailand?

 

In theory, by breaking up the journey with a stopover of 24 hours or more, you can reduce the tax because you are technically taking two shorter trips (see example "Connecting Flight" and "Connected Flight" scenarios on the HM Revenue & Customs, Air Passenger Duty webpage)

 

I have contacted most of the major travel agencies - WestEast, eBookers, Trailfinders, STA Travel, etc and they claim EITHER not to be able to book me the journey in two stages (e.g. London-Amsterdam, Amsterdam-Bangkok) OR quoted me more expensive prices than direct from the UK.

 

Simon

[joekicker 53]

Two air fares will be more than one, there is about a 100.01 per cent certainty of that. I'd never say "never", you might come up with a huge bargain on the Europe-Bangkok leg, but probably not.

 

Whether Fare A + Fare B would be less than Straight Through Fare C + Tax, you'll have to work that out. Also, it's Europe - don't they have taxes and other add-ons on tickets there? Don't forget that possibility.

 

 

 

If money is the only consideration, why not take the boat to Holland? Then you could walk or even use the saved money to buy a bike and ride to Greece or Turkey, then sell the bike to recoup the meal costs, fly from there?

 

.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

The UK APD element is only 75 quid. If only is the right word.

[jacko 8,815]

I am not sure. Some years back flights ex the old European block countries were very cheap compared to say London. The American guys would fly over and keep the return leg open, and buy all their other tickets in Poland. I wonder if you could get a ticket booked Ex-Poland then a separate one ex UK to Warsaw, or wherever.

Also with all the budget carriers, you might get a cheap leg to Europe, or perhaps Turkey.

You would need a friendly agent or a pal in one of these places.

A bit of mongering in Prague, then on to Bangkok, not a bad holiday.

 

It could be worse, the UK could put VAT on jet fuel!

Edited November 20, 2011 by jacko

[simonb 3]

Hi Hall O Fame

 

Good catch. Thanks for clarifying about the various charges. APD is not quite as bad as I thought - and hence difficult to make a major saving by finding an alternative

[alphacat 12]

I tried looking around for a trip in after Xmas and found that by flying from Amsterdam the tax was less than a third of that flying from LHR.However flying fro Frankfurt showed little difference in APD.

 

Its shouldn't cost much to get to Amsterdam Schiphol. However the airlines are taking the hit in the Uk and in the end the price for a flight from the continent doesn't seem to be that much lower at least not enough to compensate for all the hassle getting there in the fisrt place.

 

It looks like we have to take the pain but it really is a bit sick as it reduces airline profits from the UK no wonder Thai were using all their old planes on the route.

[alphacat 12]

The UK APD element is only 75 quid. If only is the right word.

 

But what was the £200 surcharge for ?? Thats not common for all continental departures. any ideas?