tax hike on flight tickets
Ben McPartland - ben@thelocal.com
Published: 11 Nov, 2024
France's national union of airline pilots (SNPL) has called for a strike on Thursday, November 14th to protest against a government plan to triple taxes on flights as part of its need to plug a hole in state finances.
The union has also called for a demonstration outside parliament.
The strike notice, concerns pilots for national carrier Air France as well as other carriers with pilots on French labour contracts.
On Monday it was not clear what disruption the strike would have on flights on Thursday. More information should be available by Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the SNPL said the strike was to protest "against the government's desire to raise an additional billion per year from the aviation sector."
The union is angry at the government's plan to increase the solidarity tax on airline tickets which was included in the 2025 budget.
The SNPL spokesperson said the tax will see a three-fold increase that was being put through "without consultation of stakeholders in the sector having taken place".
The solidarity tax is paid directly by the passenger, and is added on to the cost of their ticket - it is currently set at just under €3 per economy class ticket and €18 per first class ticket.
But under the new budget the tax will increase per passenger for a normal economy class ticket to €9.50 for a destination in Europe, €15 for flights to intermediate destinations, and will cost €40 for long-distant destinations.
There will be steeper increases for first class tickets and private jets. The cost of a business class ticket from Paris to New York would increase by €120, under plans voted through by MPs last week.
Flights to France's overseas territories and Corsica won't be included under the planned tax hike.
The SNPL pilots union believes the tax increase will ultimately lead to thousands of job losses in France.
"This social disaster will go hand in hand with the weakening of French operators or those operating regularly in France compared to their European and international competitors," said the union.
On Sunday, France's Transport Minister François Durovray defended this tax increase telling France Info that the benefits of the tax increase were two-fold.
"This tax has both the virtue of contributing to the restoration of state accounts, but there is also an environmental aim," he said referring to the huge carbon emissions from flights.
He believes this tax could encourage airlines "to put more sustainable fuel in planes".
Raising the levy, particularly for long-haul flights, is supposed to generate additional revenue of €1 billion.
But the final budget that will go into law is still subject to haggling and given Prime Minister Michel Barnier does not have a majority in parliament it is unclear if the levy will be part of the final text.
Ben McPartland - ben@thelocal.com
Published: 11 Nov, 2024
France's national union of airline pilots (SNPL) has called for a strike on Thursday, November 14th to protest against a government plan to triple taxes on flights as part of its need to plug a hole in state finances.
The union has also called for a demonstration outside parliament.
The strike notice, concerns pilots for national carrier Air France as well as other carriers with pilots on French labour contracts.
On Monday it was not clear what disruption the strike would have on flights on Thursday. More information should be available by Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the SNPL said the strike was to protest "against the government's desire to raise an additional billion per year from the aviation sector."
The union is angry at the government's plan to increase the solidarity tax on airline tickets which was included in the 2025 budget.
The SNPL spokesperson said the tax will see a three-fold increase that was being put through "without consultation of stakeholders in the sector having taken place".
The solidarity tax is paid directly by the passenger, and is added on to the cost of their ticket - it is currently set at just under €3 per economy class ticket and €18 per first class ticket.
But under the new budget the tax will increase per passenger for a normal economy class ticket to €9.50 for a destination in Europe, €15 for flights to intermediate destinations, and will cost €40 for long-distant destinations.
There will be steeper increases for first class tickets and private jets. The cost of a business class ticket from Paris to New York would increase by €120, under plans voted through by MPs last week.
Flights to France's overseas territories and Corsica won't be included under the planned tax hike.
The SNPL pilots union believes the tax increase will ultimately lead to thousands of job losses in France.
"This social disaster will go hand in hand with the weakening of French operators or those operating regularly in France compared to their European and international competitors," said the union.
On Sunday, France's Transport Minister François Durovray defended this tax increase telling France Info that the benefits of the tax increase were two-fold.
"This tax has both the virtue of contributing to the restoration of state accounts, but there is also an environmental aim," he said referring to the huge carbon emissions from flights.
He believes this tax could encourage airlines "to put more sustainable fuel in planes".
Raising the levy, particularly for long-haul flights, is supposed to generate additional revenue of €1 billion.
But the final budget that will go into law is still subject to haggling and given Prime Minister Michel Barnier does not have a majority in parliament it is unclear if the levy will be part of the final text.
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