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Policy paper

Draft legislation (accessible version)

Published 13 July 2026

1 Higher rate applies to all business jets

  1. (1) Chapter 4 of Part 1 of FA 1994 (air passenger duty) is amended as follows.
  2. (2) Section 30 (rates of air passenger duty) is amended as follows.
  3. (3) After subsection (1A) insert —
    1. “(1AA) In relation to the carriage of a chargeable passenger where the passenger’s journey comprises, or includes, a flight on an aircraft operating as a business jet in relation to the passenger —
      1. (a) if the passenger’s journey ends at a place in the United Kingdom, the rate is £146.63,
      2. (b) if the passenger’s journey ends at a place in a territory specified in Part 1 of Schedule 5A, the rate is £146.63,
      3. (c) if the passenger’s journey ends at a place in a territory specified in Part 1A of Schedule 5A, the rate is £1,132.76, and
      4. (d) if the passenger’s journey ends at any other place, the rate is £1,178.20.
    2. (1AB) Subsections (1B) to (4A) apply for the purpose of determining the rate in relation to the carriage of a chargeable passenger where the passenger’s journey does not comprise or include a flight on an aircraft operating as a business jet in relation to the passenger.â€
  4. (4) Omit subsections (4E) to (4H).
  5. (5) Before subsection (10) insert—
    1. “(9C) For the purposes of this section an aircraft is to be regarded as operating as a business jet in relation to a chargeable passenger if —
      1. (a) the time or location of departure or arrival of the flight was negotiated by or for the passenger, or
      2. (b) the flight is not a scheduled public flight.
    2. (9D) A flight is a scheduled public flight if—A flight is a scheduled public flight if—
      1. (a) either—
        1. (i) it runs according to a published timetable, or
        2. (ii) it runs so regularly or frequently as to constitute a recognisable systematic series of flights, and
      2. (b) the flight is predominantly for the carriage of members of the public.â€
  6. (6) In section 30A (Northern Ireland long haul and ultra-long haul rates of duty)—
    1. (a) in subsection (5A), for “on an aircraft to which section 30(4F) applies†substitute “where the passenger’s journey comprises, or includes, a flight on an aircraft operating as a business jet in relation to the passengerâ€,
    2. (b) after that subsection insert —
      1. (5B) For the purposes of paragraph (c) of subsection (5A), an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly may set one rate for cases within section 30(1AA)(c) and a different rate for cases within section 30(1AA)(d).â€, and
    3. (c) in subsection (8), for “(10)†substitute “(9C)â€.
  7. (7) In section 31 (passengers: exceptions) —
    1. (a) in subsection (4ZA), in the words before paragraph (a), after “if†insert “the child’s journey does not comprise or include a flight on an aircraft operating as a business jet in relation to the child andâ€, and
    2. (b) in subsection (4ZB)—
      1. (i) for “(10) to (12)†substitute “(5) to (7) and (9C) to (12)â€, and
      2. (ii) after “meaning of†insert ““aircraft operating as a business jet in relation to a passenger†andâ€.
  8. (8) The amendments made by this section have effect in relation to the carriage of passengers beginning on or after 1 April 2027.