France announces it will add an eco-tax on all flights

The tax will be introduced gradually and cost up to 18 euros per ticket

France will add an eco-tax to all flights. Courtesy Air France 

Travellers flying in and out of France will soon have to pay an eco-tax on flights.

France will introduce the eco-tax gradually, said the country’s transport minister Elisabeth Borne on Tuesday.

“We have decided to put in place an eco-tax on all flights from France,” Borne said during a news conference, adding that the funds raised from the tax will be used to finance daily transport across the country.

The tax will amount to around 1.5 euros (Dh4) for economy class tickets in France and the European Union. Business tickets in the same region will have a tax of around 9 euros (Dh37). Business class flights headed outside of the European Union will be hit with a tax of up to 18 euros (Dh74) per ticket.

There will be no additional taxes on transit flights.

The move is expected to raise around 180 million euros in 2020 said Borne.

According to Reuters, France wants the new EU Commission to push for an end to global tax exceptions for jet fuel to reduce CO2 emissions and has linked up with the Netherlands to try and convince other European nations to tax airline travel more.