Green tax to hit air travellers

Chancellor Gordon Brown announced a doubling of taxes on air travel as a move towards combating climate change. "From February 1 we will double air passenger duty."

The basic levy on short haul flights will rise to £10 and that on long haul to £40 - with both double on premium flights.

The government has been earning about £1 billion a year from flight taxes, levying £5 for every short-haul economy flight and £20 pounds for long-haul journeys. Premium flights were twice those levels.

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