Air fares from London to the Caribbean has been raised just weeks after Chancellor George Osborne announced Air Passenger Duty (APD) on flights from the United Kingdom to the Caribbean would be reduced.
British Airways confirmed that it has added £10 to ticket prices to six destinations — Barbados, Antigua, St. Lucia, Grenada, and Kingston, Jamaica.
It said the move was “in response to market conditions.” Virgin Atlantic is believed to have followed the move with a similar increase on some Caribbean routes, with immediate effect.
BA said fares to its other Caribbean destinations, St. Kitts and Nevis and Port of Spain remained unchanged.
A spokesman for the airline said that even with the increase, low-season fares to the Caribbean were “well below” the levels of two years ago.
Elizabeth Fox, Jamaica Tourist Board regional director for the UK and Northern Europe, told industry website Travel Mole: “Following the recent APD victory for the Caribbean, it seems a real shame that BA and Virgin are looking to increase fares to destinations in the West Indies like Jamaica.”
“Fares have been known to go up at this time of the year, but it seems that the Caribbean is singled out when other destinations are not being targeted for an increase,” she said.
In March the Chancellor announced that all long-haul passengers would pay the same tax as those flying to the U.S. from April 1, which represents a saving of £64 for a family of four flying to the Caribbean.
