France minister calls for end to cheap flights
PARIS — France’s transport minister called Wednesday for a minimum price for plane flights in Europe to battle climate change.
Transport Minister Clement Beaune said in an interview with the weekly L’Obs that he would submit such a proposal to his EU counterparts in the coming days.
“Plane tickets for 10 euros when we’re in the midst of the ecological transition, that’s no longer possible,” Beaune told the magazine.
“That doesn’t reflect the price for the planet,” he added.
Low-cost airlines made major inroads in Europe by offering rock-bottom fares on some routes, with Ryanair becoming the region’s largest airline.
Higher emissions
But the low fares sometimes don’t cover costs, and flying emits more greenhouse gases than traveling by train.
“I openly call for taxing polluting activities to invest in the ecological transition,” said Beaune, adding that the government plans to increase the tax on flights departing France to fund rail investments.
Increased levies on companies managing France’s highways and on airline tickets are likely figure in the 2024 budget due to be unveiled at the end of September.
Low-cost airlines have also been a source of controversy in France over their wages and labor practices.
