Air Travel Costs Set to Rise: France Announces Tax Hike on Flights to Morocco and Beyond

In an interview with the newspaper La Tribune, Durovray indicated that the increase in the air ticket tax (TSBA), decided by the Barnier government, will result in a surcharge for airline tickets as of 2025. Thus, the price of a ticket for a flight within Europe should increase by 9.50 euros for the passenger in Business class and 6.27 euros for the passenger in Economy class. For a Paris-New York flight in Business class (on a long-haul flight), an increase of 120 euros is expected, according to an estimate by the Minister of Transport.

However, this increase is "absorbable compared to the price of the ticket," said Durovray. "I don’t think that for flights within Europe, a tax (a surcharge, editor’s note) of 9.50 euros will call the balances into question. Just as 120 euros on a Paris-New York in business class, offered at several thousand euros".

The French minister, however, remained vague on the surcharge to be paid by business jet passengers, assuring that discussions are still ongoing to "strengthen the model".

The measure, which should bring in one billion euros in revenue to the French state, is rejected by the main airlines (Air France, Air Caraïbes, French Bee, easyJet, etc.) operating in France. The latter say that the bulk of the expected revenue, i.e. 850 million euros, will be recovered from them. "It’s gigantic," fumes Air France, which should pay 300 million euros, or 30% of the total amount. The French company says it recorded a loss of 200 million euros last summer, regretting that the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games did not meet expectations.

Air Caraïbes and its low-cost subsidiary French bee should also pay "nearly 25 million euros" out of the one billion expected, announced Christine Ourmières-Widener, the new president of the group in Le Monde, stressing that this amount represents "nearly a third of the profits" of the company. The low-cost easyJet is no exception. Bertrand Godinot, director for France for the company, assured for his part that "the increase in the air ticket tax is not a tax on companies but on individuals", stressing that this measure will have a direct impact on the price of tickets.