The atmosphere is not at the party in the French air sector. Airlines, airport managers, travel agencies, all have the impression of seeing the passage of the growth train … because if world air traffic goes from record to record (despite the criticisms in the air), France benefits very little.
Worse, “in 2025, abandonment increased with a negative growth in the summer offer,” denounces.
In domestic traffic, of course, there is the competition of the train that for direct links is cheaper without being much longer with the TGV and, in particular, ouigo, the low cost of the SNCF. In this field, it seems that the plane has lost the battle, except the transverse connections with correspondence.
According to figures from the French transport regulator, this traffic decreased by 2% in 2023 in one year, and 14.3% compared to 2017.
But for European and international links, the arrival of new taxes would lead to demand, and in particular the increase in tickets on tickets (TSBA) voted in the 2025 budget to complete state funds and apply this year. It applies to all tickets, varies according to the destination and attacks the consumer directly.
“Smoking”
“This fiscal shock is considerable,” summarizes the manager, “and is added to other increases in several taxes and rates. We estimate the additional cost for the sector in 1.35 billion euros this year of a total of 4 billion.”
The same observation for Valérie Boned, president of the travel companies that was expressed during the same Congress.
“We are concerned about 2025, will this tax be maintained, will even increase? We hope that at least this tax is argued towards the decarbonation of the sector,” he hopes that the manager. This is not the case since the sums collected (800 to 850 million euros) will go directly to state funds.
Moratorium
The German example dismisses the sector: “We reach the same level of taxes in Germany, where national traffic is 17% of what it represented in 2019. It is a serious warning for France,” warns Pascal Izaguirre.
And to continue: “20 countries in Europe do not tax the air, some as Sweden return to taxes. Therefore, we request a moratorium on the general tax level, any new tax would be an aberration.”
Obviously, this opinion is disputed by environmental associations. For Action Climate Network, it is precisely the low taxes of the antenna without tax on the kerosene, which allows low -cost airlines to offer floors prices and climb the traffic of European links.
Source: BFM TV
