More than 30 parliamentarians attended the campaign event held by the A Fair Tax on Flying campaign, as members labelled APD as a “tax on trade”.

Dale Keller, chief executive of the Board of Airline Representatives UK and spokesperson for the campaign said: “This was a very significant level of political engagement and an important part of our overall campaign strategy.

“We were able to put across to many influential MPs our message that APD should be seen for what it is – a ‘Tax on Trade’.

“We emphasised that the tax is wholly incompatible with the government’s vision for a Brexit ready, global and outward facing Britain, and it needs to be seen ‘in the round’ on its impact on the wider economy and not just as a revenue raiser for H M Treasury.

"Aviation plays a unique role in connecting Britain to global markets and we should all worry that the combination of the highest air passenger tax in the EU and uncertainty is negatively impacting the plans of airlines to develop new routes and grow existing markets from the UK.”

The campaign group said a number of MPs had agreed to write to the Chancellor on behalf of the campaign and agreed to be listed on the www.afairtaxonflying.org website.

Dale added: “Building a large cadre of MPs who are prepared to have their support noted on our website is an important step in building up political momentum for the campaign”.