HansJet confirms that its members remain exempt from the UK’s impending 50 per cent Air Passenger Duty surcharge due to the weight profile of its Pilatus PC-12 fleet.

From April 2026, a 50 per cent APD increase applies to private aircraft weighing over 20 tonnes, with charges reaching £1,141 per passenger on long-haul routes. From April 2027, the higher rate extends to aircraft weighing more than 5.7 tonnes. With a maximum take off weight of 4.7 tonnes, the PC-12 sits below both thresholds, ensuring exemption through both phases.

“HansJet members will not pay a single pound of this APD increase,” says Eric Weisskopf, managing director at HansJet. “Our members continue flying at fixed hourly rates, completely insulated from the regulatory cost pressures affecting heavier aircraft.”

The changes coincide with tightening environmental requirements. Since January 2025, the EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation mandate requires flights departing EU airports to use a minimum 2 per cent sustainable aviation fuel blend, rising to 6 per cent by 2030. With SAF trading at a premium to conventional fuel, heavier jets face higher fuel compliance costs alongside increased taxation.

Industry analysis shows European private aviation continuing to expand, with leisure travel comprising 45 per cent of flights, up from 37 per cent pre-pandemic. Analysts expect the April 2026 and 2027 deadlines to accelerate demand for lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft as operators and travellers assess long-term regulatory costs.

HansJet’s membership structure offers fixed hourly pricing, guaranteed availability and no ownership burden, helping members avoid capital depreciation, maintenance exposure and fluctuating charter rates as regulatory pressures rise.