Airline chiefs call to scrap 'unfair' Air Passenger Duty

Four airlines from the UK and Irish Republic are calling for the UK government to scrap Air Passenger Duty.

The tax, which is applied to almost every ticket on a flight originating in the UK, has risen sharply since it was introduced in 1994.

It is opposed by Easyjet, Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways.

Michael O'Leary of Ryanair and Willie Walsh of the International Airlines Group which runs British Airways, are united in opposing the ''unfair'' tax which they say is not about airline profits.