New flight tax rises would put small French airports ‘at risk’

Plans to increase taxes on air tickets or airlines would jeopardise regional airports in France potentially putting some at risk of closure, experts in the sector warn. 

Smaller airports including those in Carcassonne, Poitiers, and Bergerac are particularly at risk as they rely on flights from low-cost carriers who may cut routes in light of any higher costs.

The issue is in the news as French prime minister François Bayrou prepares to outline a series of tax increases in several sectors next week as part of plans to reduce France’s deficit.

Another round of taxes on airline tickets to and from France is expected to be included. 

Several regional airports have been at risk for a number of years due to huge losses, and are only kept afloat by the flights of low-cost operators.

French airports' body UAF argues that France is already seen as a less-attractive destination due to its current airline taxes – some of the highest in Europe – and any further increases may see carriers cut their least-profitable routes.

“Further increase in taxation would be fatal… Airlines are starting to turn their backs on us,” said its president Thomas Juin to media outlet FranceInfo. 

“There is a decline in supply for the summer programme. For next autumn-winter and next spring, we are being told that taxes are too high in France.

“Small regional airports are currently subject to taxes of €35 on a one-way ticket. In Spain, this amount is around €7,” he added.

A second round of airline taxes in 2025?

‘Solidarity’ taxes on airline tickets were included as part of the delayed 2025 budget, in a watered-down version of original plans by former prime minister Michel Barnier. 

These taxes – paid by airlines but passed onto travellers in the form of increased ticket prices – more than tripled for intra-Europe flights (€2.63 to €7.40), and increased to €15 for non-European destinations, although original proposals included even higher rates.

The fallout from these increased prices included low-cost carrier Ryanair announcing it would reduce the number of flights to France.

Ryanair previously also threatened to pull out of nearly a dozen regional French airports, but eventually only stopped services to Paris-Vatry (Marne). 

‘Fatal’ blow to regional airlines

A report earlier in the year showed that airports in the west of France are struggling as passenger numbers have reduced. 

Many smaller airports rely almost exclusively on flights from budget airlines, sometimes heavily subsidised to boost local tourism and visitor numbers, and if these carriers pull services the airports would have little choice but to close. 

“Given the tax situation in France, foreign operators may favour other destinations. A thousand passengers coming to France means three jobs. So basically, there are jobs that are not being created in France,” said the general delegate of the National Federation of Aviation and Related Professions, Laurent Timsit. 

However, these taxes are not guaranteed to come in and Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot says he is against raising taxes further.

“I am not in favour of taxing aircraft again, because aircraft have been taxed quite significantly over the last two years,” he said earlier today to FranceInfo. 

Whereas national figures for air traffic are remaining stable – increases in flights to major cities make up for the reduction in regional routes – comparable countries such as Spain and Italy are seeing increases of up to 7%, the minister said, leaving France behind. 

Increasing tourism is another way to raise revenue through business taxes, the minister believes.