Miatta Fahnbulleh, the new Energy Secretary under Andy Burnham, previously supported green taxes on air travel. While chief executive of the New Economics Foundation think tank, she advocated for a Frequent Flyer Levy that would add charges to plane tickets, increasing with each flight taken in a year.
Proposed levy details
In 2021, the think tank proposed a charge on tickets, with the amount rising per flight. Under the plan, passengers would not pay for their first leisure flight of the year. The second flight would incur an extra £25, the third £60, the fourth £105, and the fifth £160. The charge would reach £585 for the tenth flight. Business travellers would face higher costs, with no exemption for the first flight, which would be charged £25.
Last year, the think tank proposed a new charge for people flying six or more times in a year.
Political reaction
Tory Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden warned that families already pay some of the highest flight taxes globally. He told The Telegraph: “But Andy Burnham’s pick as Labour’s Energy Secretary wants to pile another tax on top.” He claimed any new taxes on air travel punish “anyone who dares to fly for a holiday.”
A Government spokesman said the proposals are “not Government policy” and added: “We’ve cut VAT on electricity to give families breathing space. The Energy Secretary’s focus is working to bring bills down for good.”
