So eight airports and three airlines have banded together to urge the Chancellor to use his Autumn Statement at the end of next month as an opportunity to reduce the rate at which their passengers pay Airport Passenger Duty.

BBC: Regional airports urge Osborne to cut passenger duty

And if he chose to make use of it - as we might expect him to in the Autumn Statement at the end of November - such a mid-course "correction" was not, under any circumstances, to be confused with Plan B.

BBC: George Osborne must weigh supply against demand