The year is going out with a bang - this past week with a departure and an arrival. Thomas Cook's Harriet Green announced she is stepping down, and altough the rebuilding of one of our iconic travel companies is ongoing, I doubt anyone would disagree that she achieved a huge amount in a relatively short time at the helm. Meanwhile, the arrival of Virgin Trains and Stagecoach on the East Coast Main Line will be well worth watching. Our Anglo-Scottish rail links can surely only become more and more vital, with the coming departure of Little Red from the air travel scene and the constantly growing demand from business and leisure travel markets alike.
The announcement by the Smith Commission that the Scottish Parliament should have full power over Air Passenger Duty is timely and welcome, as is the Scottish Government's view - that the damaging impact this tax is having on jobs and growth as well as consumers is unquestionable. The SPAA would expect no less of Holyrood... click here to read on!
Jimmy Martin
SPAA President
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