IAG boss denounces APD as UK airlines try to bolster support for a scrapping of the 2012 increase.

Willie Walsh denounced the government’s consultation on air passenger duty today (APD) as a “sham” yesterday after the UK Treasury stood firm against travel industry demands to reform the taxation method. The UK Treasury confirmed that the tax, due to rise by 8% in 2012, would continue to be collected as before. And that there would be no concessions to airline representations to create new bands that would lower the duty imposed on premium economy customers and those flying to destinations such as the US or the Caribbean.