Airlines criticise Labour plan to charge UK entry fee
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Airlines have voiced ‘significant concerns’ over Labour’s pledge to introduce an entry fee into the UK if it came back into power.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper revealed the party would look to charge around £10 in a scheme similar to the US ESTA programme to help pay for 1,000 more border force and enforcement staff.
Exit checks would also be introduced and finger-printing of illegal migrants trying to get into the UK from Calais.
The British Air Transport Association (BATA)’s chief executive Nathan Stower said another charge could make the UK even more uncompetitive as a tourism destination.
He said: “While we welcome the desire to improve the customer experience for passengers arriving at the UK border, airlines have significant concerns about this proposal.
“Visitors from countries like the USA and Australia already pay the highest air passenger tax in the world to fly to the UK – £71 from next April. Adding yet another charge will make the UK more uncompetitive in attracting tourists, businesses and inbound investment.”
He added new measures would need to be put in place so information could be collected.
“The vast majority of visitors from those countries that are not required to obtain a visa to enter the UK, such as the USA, do not currently provide information to UK authorities ahead of their visit. Furthermore, if more money were to be raised from airline passengers alone, it would only fair for this to fund improvements in the border at airports and not at other ports of entry such as Calais.”
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