ebookers.ie: Travel tax has 'panic written all over it'
Online travel agent ebookers.ie has called on the Government to explain its reasoning behind introducing taxes on airline tickets purchased by passengers departing from Ireland.
Steven Rice of ebookers.ie said: "The Government has stated that their actions are to protect and sustain the Irish economy and all who work in it, however by increasing charges in an industry that is already under huge pressure due to extraordinary rises in fuel costs worldwide, the Government is putting jobs and people's livelihoods at risk".
Mr Rice also questioned the apparent lack of research and dialogue behind the decision.
He said: "By not consulting with any of the aviation or travel industries representative bodies or any of Ireland's major travel agents or tour operators, the Government has essentially introduced an initiative which has 'panic' written all over it.
"The lack of communication with any industry experts on this could lead to further unemployment, less competition in the already enormously strained airline market and ultimately more financial pressure on the Irish public.
"The government clearly sees this as a quick fix to extract more income from a vulnerable industry. This is evident in their definition of 'shorter air journeys.
"By defining short journey as those at 300km of less they have classed London, Ireland's most popular UK destination, as a long journey. London experiences huge numbers of business passengers from Ireland and this definition was clearly designed to cash in on these."
