Steve Frazer calls for return of duty free for flights to Europe from City of Derry Airport

Mr. Frazer has united with Graham Keddie, Managing Director at Belfast International Airport, and Katy Best, Commercial Director at Belfast City Airport, in calling for the introduction of duty free shopping.

The campaign is being led by the UK Travel Retail Forum which points out that, from January 2021, duty free shopping from airports in Britain was extended to include EU destinations but this facility was not extended to the North’s airports due to ongoing discussion over the NI Protocol. With the agreement of the Windsor Framework, the airports believe it is time to return duty free facilities to the North.

Mr. Frazer said: “Excluding NI’s airports from duty free shopping further erodes our ability to offer attractive and competitive options, which the modern traveller expects. Our three airports’ combined growth has slowed significantly while competing with zero air passenger duty (APD) across the rest of the island’s airports, many of which have thrived through supportive policies conducive to economic growth. NI’s exclusion from the advantages of duty free enjoyed in our neighbouring ports and airports adds to that already uneven playing field. We would request a collaborative review to remove yet another competitive disadvantage for our industry, considering our unique geography and the economic potential associated with visitors to our region.”

Nigel Keal, Chair of the UK Travel Retail Forum, said: “The return of duty free post-Brexit has proven incredibly popular with consumers, with overseas retailers seeing significant increases in sales of duty free goods to departing UK passengers. This has been a crucial financial support as the aviation and travel retail sectors recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventing airports and businesses in NI from accessing this revenue stream is unfair. It puts them at a competitive disadvantage to the rest of the UK, and to the rest of Europe. On behalf of the industry, the travel retail industry is calling on the Westminster Government and the EU Commission to work together to level the playing field, and bring the rules on duty free at Northern Irish airports in line with rules at their British and European counterparts."