International Airlines Group (IAG) has warned UK legislators that the chances of IAG’s new long-haul LCC Level operating from the UK are slim while the country’s passenger taxes remain so high. In a letter to Members of Parliament, IAG said air passenger duty (APD) undermines the UK’s position as a global trading nation as it exits the European Union and reduces the chance of Level flights from UK regions. In its letter, IAG said abolishing APD would make it more likely that Level could operate from Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Manchester. However, this was not financially viable when Level’s fares start at around GBP88 one-way, yet APD on a long-haul economy seat is GBP78. IAG said it is seeking to expand Level, which launched flights from Barcelona to the US and Latin America last year, and will start operating from Paris to the Caribbean and North America in July. “British consumers are losing out because of APD,” IAG CEO Willie Walsh said. “In Spain and France, Level can offer lower fares than it can in the UK—and that goes for other long-haul, low-cost airlines, too.” In the letter, IAG said it was foolhardy for a trading nation that relies on developing international connections post-Brexit to tax aviation so heavily. While economy-class passengers paid GBP78 APD, the tax rate is even higher on premium passengers, it noted—GBP156 in premium economy and business class. The latter rate is scheduled to increase another 10% (to GBP172) next year.<br/>
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Two teenage girls who thought they had landed dream modelling jobs in New York were saved from a sex trafficker by a vigilant airline worker. The Californian youths aged 15 and 17 narrowly avoided becoming victims of an Instagram predator thanks to American Airlines agent Denice Miracle. Miracle realised something was wrong when the girls approached her ticket counter at Sacramento Airport to check-in for a one-way first-class flight which had been paid for using a stolen credit card. She told them they would not be able to fly and then alerted the County Sheriff's Department. “Between the two of them, they had a bunch of small bags. It seemed to me as if they were running away from home,” Denice said. “They kept looking at each other in a way that seemed fearful and anxious. I had a gut feeling that something just wasn't right. The girls revealed that a man called "Drey" on Instagram had invited them to New York for the weekend to earn $2,000 by doing some modelling and performing in music videos. They had not told their parents about the trip on 31 August last year and were shocked when they were told the tickets did not cover a return flight. Deputies tried to contact "Drey" but he quickly deleted all his social media profiles. "I fully believe Denice probably prevented these girls from becoming victims," Deputy Sanderson told Fox.<br/>