The Shannon Airport Authority has accused the Government of penalising them disproportionately with the new travel tax, reports the Irish Independent newspaper today.As part of the Budget, the Government included a €10 air tax on all air passengers travelling more than 300km from an Irish airport. Staff at Shannon Airport and local politicians say the Government has engineered a levy that has hit Shannon harder than any other airport in the country.
The only route that passengers flying from Shannon can avail of a cheaper €2 tax is Dublin Airport. Dublin passengers, however, benefit within a 300km radius, which takes in many UK airports and Irish airports. Chairman of Shannon Airport Authority (SAA), Pat Shanahan, stated that the €10 tax will intensify trading difficulties in the current aviation environment. "SAA has made its concern in relation to this tax known to Government," Mr Shanahan said.
