Domestic flights in France are often operated by low-cost carriers, whose tickets are often cheaper than train tickets
Amendments to the law on supporting mobility (Loi d’orientation des mobilités), which are intended to limit the development of the air transport market and reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, were proposed by representatives of the left-wing "La France Insoumise", including deputy and journalist François Ruffin. "Freedom to travel is not freedom to pollute the air. The number of flights needs to be reduced worldwide, and planes should only fly where necessary," his official website states.
As reported by RFI, the deputies refer to calculations by the civil aviation authority. According to these data, per passenger, a round trip flight between Paris and Marseille releases 195 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is 50 times more than during a train journey. Meanwhile, by rail, it takes 3 hours 15 minutes to get from Paris to Marseille.
As François Ruffin writes on his website, air travel in France is mainly used by people with high incomes. The deputy considers this an example of "social injustice" and adds that airline tickets are subject to a reduced VAT rate (10%).
Deputy Delphine Batho proposed an even more severe restriction. According to her amendments, all domestic flights that can be replaced by a 5-hour train ride could be banned (effectively covering most flights between French cities). In an interview with the newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, she called short flights "ecological absurdity."
"Low-cost airlines often offer seats on planes at a price lower than on the train. This is abnormal. That is why I also proposed increasing the tax on kerosene and banning advertising on planes," Delphine Batho noted in a comment to journalists.
Opponents of the initiative note that banning domestic flights could complicate life for residents of French regions. In the case of an international flight to Lyon, Bordeaux, or Marseille with a transfer in Paris, they would have to get to the train station by public transport and continue their journey by train. Restrictions could also lead to airport staff reductions and the closure of airlines.
According to the authors of the amendments, the changes to the law would not only limit the growth of the air transport market but also develop the railway transport system in France. At the same time, Delphine Batho acknowledged that the initiative could be rejected by deputies of the National Assembly, where the majority of seats are held by representatives of the "En Marche!" party. "This will be a long struggle," she noted.