France receives more tourists than anyone. Now he has had an idea to limit it: put the very expensive flights

Although there is already who says that Spain will end up snatching the crown, France is today the undisputed queen of world tourism. No other nation moves more travelers. Only last year it was expected to arrive in the country some 89.4 million of international tourists, a good handful more than Spain, the US or China. From now on, travelers who must take off from France to move around the country or return to their homes will have to scratch some more pocket. The reason: shortly It will go up he “Solidarity Tax” That applies to your flights.

Of course, the decision It has generated a stir.

What happened? That in a matter of a few weeks (March 1) France will update its Solidarity tax On the plane tickets, better known as TSBA or ‘Chirac tax’ in a wink to the former president who ruled the Republic when it was approved. His climb is not really a surprise. It was expected in The French budget of 2025, approved in February after a complex process that He took ahead to Prime Minister Michel Barnier; But its application will not be really effective until next month.

What exactly is the TSBA? An international tax that taxes the price of plane tickets. Their amount is set by authorities. Then it is up to the airlines to decide whether they assume it or transfer it to a greater or lesser extent to the tickets that charge their passengers. As your own name (TSBA) details, the objective is finance International aid programs. In fact, the French government defends its equitable and ecological value.

When at the beginning of the year, during An interview with Le Parisienthe Public Accounts Minister Amélie de Montchalin was asked what he thought of the increase in the tax, Your answer It could not be clearer: “I am in favor. It is a measure of fiscal and ecological justice. The richest 20% of the population is responsible for more than half of the air trip spending.”

How much and where will it go up? To clear doubts, the French administration published a few weeks ago A brief ad with the main novelties that affect the tax. It speaks of three categories: “destinations in France and Europe”, “intermediate destinations” and “distant destinations”, which would be those in which the plane travels more than more than 5,500 kilometers.

Then details the amount that the rate will have in each case, although the amount varies depending on another parameter: the category. The same is not charged to a customer who travels with a tourist ticket than to another class Business or that flies in a private jet.

And how are they then? The result is that the rate for flights in economic and short -distance class, within France or Europe and with departure from France, will cost 2.63 to 7.4 euros. In intermediate journeys it will rise to 15 euros and in the case of distant destinations the tax will be located in 40. The routes to Corsica and overseas territories are left out.

In class Business The rate will cost 30, 80 or 120 eurosdepending on the duration of the flight, and in the case of the Jets the TSBA will involve from March between 210 and 2,100 euros, the maximum that would pay a user of a private plane for a trip of more than 5,500 km. The Government recalls in any case that the impact of new rates on airline tickets will depend on whether they decide or not to “absorb them.”

What do airlines say? They have not taken to show their discomfort. At least part of them. Air France considers that the climb, more than double, is “irresponsible” and is equivalent to demanding “a tax to access France.” In his specific case he estimates that he will cost him about 100 million euros at a particularly delicate time after the pandemic years.

“France is the country of Europe where air transport is more taxed with taxes. In the last 20 years we have lost between 1 and 2% of the market every year in favor of foreign airlines. There is a risk of transferring benefits to other countries,” ditch. The update of the TSBA arrives in fact after the country has made clear Your desire to encourage taxes, the use of less polluting alternatives to the plane in short journeys.

Can you take its toll? The reaction has not been good in Ryanar. Its executive director, Michael O’Leary, already He has accused To France to swim to “countercurrent” and warns: “Europe will not be more efficient or competitive excessively taxing air rates.”

“France is already a country with high taxes and if they increase more likely we will reduce our capacity,” says the manager of the Low Cost. From the company go further and point out the risk that flights end up being only available to “the rich”, affecting the country’s finances at a time that stands out precisely by the Tourism boom international.

Images | Eric Salard (Flickr) 1 and 2 and Service-Public.fr

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