The Chancellor of the Exchequer made no mention of air passenger duty in his budget report in from of the House of Commons today (March 24).
Leading industry figures knew this was the last opportunity to abolish or amend the levy before the general election.
The second rise in APD will come into force on November 1 this year.
He told the House of Commons there would be investment in travel and transport, but it was confined to £100 million to improve local roads and £285 million to repair and upgrade the UK's motorway network.
Darling said a £2 billion fund raised by the windfall tax on bankers bonuses would be used to help small businesses.
He revealed a one-year business rate cut from October, aimed at helping 500,000 SMEs.
Investment allowance for small firms was doubled to £100,000, while relief for entrepreneurs on capital gains tax has been doubled.
Darling also announced a freeze on capital gains tax.
The 3 pence increase in fuel duty, announce in the pre-budget report in November, will not come in all at once. It will raise 1 pence in April, another in October and the last in January.