Fact check: Scrapping APD will increase growth in the UK immediately

1. Summary of the results

The claim that scrapping APD (Air Passenger Duty) will increase growth immediately cannot be definitively proven, as sources present conflicting assessments:

• Airlines and industry stakeholders project significant positive impacts, with estimates of 1.7% GDP growth and 61,000 new jobs by 2020 ^[1]
• PwC analysis suggests potential benefits including £350m in additional tax receipts and addressing the current 10% suppression in flight demand ^[2]
• However, government documentation directly contradicts these projections, stating the APD measure is "not expected to have any significant macroeconomic impact" ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual factors are missing from the original statement:

• The current APD increases are planned to be "slightly above inflation" rather than dramatic changes ^[4]
• The impact varies by flight type, with greater effects on long-haul and premium class flights ^[4]
• The tax's primary purpose appears to be maintaining government revenue in line with inflation, not economic control ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement shows clear bias and potential conflicts of interest:

• Airlines have a direct financial interest in this narrative:
• Ryanair actively campaigns against APD, citing concerns about tourism, jobs, and economic prospects ^[5]
• Airline executives are the primary source of the most optimistic growth projections ^[1]
• The word "immediately" in the original statement is particularly misleading, as even supportive analyses like PwC's discuss longer-term effects rather than immediate impacts ^[2]
• The statement presents a complex economic policy issue as a simple cause-and-effect relationship, ignoring the nuanced reality reflected in government assessments ^[3]