France APD plan condemned

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has condemned plans by France for an APD-style “eco-tax” on flights. Transport minister Élisabeth Borne claimed the scheme would raise some €180m annually from 2020.

The amount of the tax will depend on the type of ticket being bought. Economy Class tickets on flights within France or the EU will incur a €1.50 levy. Business Class tickets for flights out of the EU will have the highest tariff, up to €18.

Borne said the money raised by the tax, which is designed to apply only to outgoing flights and not to those flying into the country, would be invested in less-polluting transport, such as rail.

IATA said the move was “misguided”, adding: “Since 1990, airlines have reduced carbon emissions per passenger 50% and from 2020 will be paying to offset all the growth in emissions. A tax will not help the industry to invest in cleaner fuels and technology.

Some 81% of French people did not trust their government to spend environmental taxes on environmental action, IATA added, and airlines were already introducing their own initiatives such as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

(See also Airlines attack new tax moves in this issue).

www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2019-07-09-02.aspx

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