France to introduce new air tax
France has announced it will introduce an ‘eco-tax’ for all flights departing from French airports from next year.
The amount will depend on the type of ticket, but will start at €1.50 for economy tickets within France or the EU and will rise to a maximum of €18 for long-haul business-class flights.
No tax will be imposed on flights into France.
The levy is expected to raise about £162 million from 2020, according to transport minister Elisabeth Borne. She said this would be invested in cleaner transport, such as rail.
The French government has tried to tighten environmental regulation, but last year president Emmanuel Macron was forced to abandoned plans for fuel tax rises after widespread protests.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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