APD in the Firing Line

NORWEGIAN HAS blamed the Scottish government’s failure to reduce Air Passenger Duty (APD) for its decision to axe its last-remaining transatlantic route from Edinburgh. Outlining its 2019 summer flying programme, the carrier revealed it will terminate its non-stop links from the capital to Stewart, New York state, next March, just 18 months after its launch. This follows a similar move with flights to Providence in Rhode Island and Bradley, Connecticut, which were introduced last June “with the prospect of a reduction in air passenger taxes that was unfortunately postponed by the Scottish government,” Norwegian reported. Both of the latter routes have since been closed. The airline is also poised to cancel two routes to Spain, leaving just three direct connections from Edinburgh – to Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm.