UK regional airports face soaring taxes, risking higher flight prices and reduced investment.

Due to a significant revaluation of business rates, regional airports are dealing with skyrocketing property taxes, which could result in higher ticket prices for UK travelers. Manchester's tax bill increased by £4.2 million to £18.1 million, and rateable values at some airports, such as Manchester, Bristol, and Birmingham, have more than doubled. The majority of regional airports are anticipated to see tax bills more than double over the course of three years, despite transitional relief limiting annual increases to 30%. Industry leaders caution that these cost shocks will probably be passed on through increased airline and airport fees, endangering planned investments totaling more than £2 billion and hurting local economies that depend on air connectivity. Airport operators call the current business rates system unsustainable and shortsighted, and they are pleading with the government to change it.