There's an increasing clamour for higher taxes on air travel because of the damage that flying does to the environment.
 

But what will this mean to all those smaller businesses that have got used to cheap air travel? I know many UK firms have managed to do more business in Europe because they can hop on a cheap flight.

 
Technologies such as video conferencing and email can help to fill the void, but the truth is that we still much prefer to do business face to face.
 
As the consensus builds towards taxing cheap flights out of existence, we must make sure that smaller firms are not left struggling when prices are forced up by new airport taxes. A good first step would be for the government to recognise this fact of life and talk to business trade associations, as well as green lobbying groups, about the impact new air travel taxes will have on smaller UK firms.
 
 
Nick Hood
Senior London partner, Begbies Traynor