Cheaper holidays as air tax on children is cut

The change will apply to under-16s from March 2016
The change will apply to under-16s from March 2016
IAN LISHMAN/CORBIS

The cost of family holidays will be cut from tomorrow after the abolition of “air tax” on children aged under 12.

The move to scrap air passenger duty (APD) for young children will give a saving of £142 for a family of four flying to long-haul destinations such as the United States, Thailand and Australia.

A typical holiday to Europe for a family with two young children will be cut by £26 under the reforms.

Travel groups welcomed the change, announced by George Osborne last year, but insisted that taxes on flying were still the most costly in Europe.

The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) said that most airlines and travel companies would refund APD on flights for under-12s that were paid for before