UK airport tax hike kicks in

Britain's controversial air passenger duty hike kicked in yesterday - much to the chagrin of travellers worldwide, including Singaporeans.

Travellers flying out of United Kingdom airports face increases of up to 55 per cent in the tax.

Passengers onboard planes bound for Singapore will have to pay a tax of £85 ($176) for economy class and £150 for business class - a 55 per cent spike from previous rates.

Following the hike, the tax would generate about £2.5 billion a year for the UK government.

But the move is expected to hit the global tourism industry, which has just recovered from the economic crisis. LINK