Blame the banks for holiday price hikes.

Byline: JEREMY GATES

TRAVEL firms and passengers alike are not taking too kindly to the view that the cost of flying - particularly long-haul - must soar to bail out the massive debts left by reckless High Street banks.

Airline Passenger Duty increased from November 1, meaning pounds 1 extra for short-haul flights inside the EU, which had been pounds 10 for economy and pounds 20 for premium tickets.

Long-haul flights to the Caribbean now incur an extra pounds 10 on the previous pounds 40 economy APD and pounds 20 more than the pre-November 1 pounds 80 tariff.

For those flying as far as Australia, pounds 15 has been added to the economy APD and pounds 30 to premium rates.

And there is more pain to come on November 1 next year, when a standard flight to the Caribbean gets a further pounds 25 hike - or pounds 50 for premium economy or business class.

These swingeing rises in APD will be reflected in significantly higher prices for winter 2010-11 holidays, which can be booked from mid-November this year.

British Airways, like other airlines, accepts bookings up to 50 weeks in advance of travel, so early bookers will find from mid-November that APD rates have risen 50% on flights to the US, 87% to the Caribbean and 112% to Singapore and Australia.

On flights to Singapore, Malaysia and Australasia after November 1 next year, a family of four will pay pounds 340 in tax - more than double the current rate.

Tour operators are furious because there is no suggestion that the billions raised from the move are to be spent on 'Green' projects - it will simply go towards balancing the Government's extremely rocky books.

"These huge hikes are very bad news for holidaymakers - and completely unjustified," says BA customer services director Silla Maizey.

"The Government says the tax is environmental, but its own figures show that aviation already meets its environmental costs without any increase in APD."