London bears the brunt of route cuts as 'tourist tax' takes its toll

Published on Sunday 22 November 2009 21:03

AIRLINES have axed more routes from London airports in the last few months than from any other European capital, according to figures published yesterday.

As many as 76 routes have been scrapped from London airports in the period from April 2008 to October 2009, data from travel insurance company InsureandGo revealed.

The firm said the axed flights amounted to the loss of 646 flights a week and more than 95,000 seats a week.

The next worst capital city for axed flights during the same period was Copenhagen, where 59 flights have been scrapped.

In contrast, airlines using Madrid have axed just 26 flights in the period April 2008 to October 2009.

InsureandGo said the recent increase in the UK's Air Passenger Duty (APD) airport departure tax would persuade fewer people to fly and would put pressure on airlines to cancel more routes.

The company's founder, Perry Wilson, added: "All British airports are being adversely affected by the financial difficulties facing the airline industry.

"A rise in APD is a deterrent against people flying, and this could result in more routes being cancelled by airlines and jobs being lost."

Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's outspoken chief executive, has been one of the loudest critics of the UK's rise in APD.

In the summer, O'Leary put Ryanair's expansion plans in the UK on hold in protest against higher APD and called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to scrap the fee, which he branded a "tourist tax".