French ban on some domestic flights comes into effect, if short rail alternative exists
France has banned domestic short-haul flights where train alternatives taking under two and a half hours exist, in a bid to cut carbon emissions. Connecting flights are unaffected. Services, linking Paris Orly airport with Nantes, Bordeaux and Lyons, had already been stopped by Air France under a 2020 agreement. However, they are allowed to continue to use Charles de Gaulle airport. Unfortunately, this will only have a small effect on overall French aviation CO2 emissions, the bulk of which come from international flights. The French government had faced calls to introduce even stricter rules, with the 2019 Citizens’ Convention on Climate asking for bans when the train alternative would be under 4 hours. But this was reduced to two-and-a-half hours after objections from some regions, as well as the airline Air France-KLM. A consumer group has called for “safeguards that [French national railway] SNCF will not seize the opportunity to artificially inflate its prices or degrade the quality of rail service”. It is hoped the short flight ban, though having little impact, could set a precedent to be followed by other countries.
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France bans short-haul flights to cut carbon emissions
23.5.2023 (BBC)
Climate activists had proposed scrapping plane journeys where train journeys of under four hours existed. France has banned domestic short-haul flights where train alternatives exist, in a bid to cut carbon emissions.
The law came into force two years after lawmakers had voted to end routes where the same journey could be made by train in under two-and-a-half hours.
The ban all but rules out air travel between Paris and cities including Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux, while connecting flights are unaffected.
Critics have described the latest measures as “symbolic bans”.
Laurent Donceel, interim head of industry group Airlines for Europe (A4E), told the AFP news agency that “banning these trips will only have minimal effects” on CO2 output.
He added that governments should instead support “real and significant solutions” to the issue.
Airlines around the world have been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with website Flightradar24 reporting that the number of flights last year was down almost 42% from 2019.
The French government had faced calls to introduce even stricter rules.
France’s Citizens’ Convention on Climate, which was created by President Emmanuel Macron in 2019 and included 150 members of the public, had proposed scrapping plane journeys where train journeys of under four hours existed.
But this was reduced to two-and-a-half hours after objections from some regions, as well as the airline Air France-KLM.
French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir had earlier called on lawmakers to retain the four-hour limit.
“On average, the plane emits 77 times more CO2 per passenger than the train on these routes, even though the train is cheaper and the time lost is limited to 40 minutes,” it said.
It also called for “safeguards that [French national railway] SNCF will not seize the opportunity to artificially inflate its prices or degrade the quality of rail service”.
Chart showing emissions from different modes of transport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65687665
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France’s ban on local flights fails to take off
By Charles Bremner, Paris (Times)
May 24 2023
A much-trumpeted ban on short domestic flights in France took effect with so many exemptions that no services will be halted.
Environment campaigners deplored the watering-down of what President Macron called a pioneering effort to curb airline greenhouse gases and his government hailed the law’s enactment as a “world premier” for France.
After lobbying by local authorities and airlines, trimming by the European Union and compromises in parliament, only three routes were affected by the ban on domestic flights for journeys that are possible in less than two and a half hours by train.
These services, linking Paris Orly airport with Nantes, Bordeaux and Lyons, had already been stopped by Air France under a 2020 agreement with the state in return for pandemic relief and after passengers had largely deserted the aircraft for high-speed trains. Air France’s competitors were barred from starting services to fill the gap.
Thanks to creative rule-making, services continue unhindered between those cities and Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris’s main hub, albeit further out from the centre than Orly. This was done by decreeing that the reference station for Charles de Gaulle would be the airport’s stop on the high-speed rail system rather than stations in Paris.
That rule, plus a condition that train links must be easily available, exempted the three services, as well as flights between Rennes and Charles de Gaulle and between Marseilles and Lyons, southern cities 1 hour and 50 minutes apart by train.
The three Orly routes banned by the law were responsible for only 3 per cent of emissions by aircraft on French domestic flights and 0.3 per cent of emissions from commercial flights taking off from mainland France.
The flight ban idea was adopted by Macron after a proposal by a “citizens’ convention” on the environment that he created after the “yellow vests” grass-roots insurrection in 2018-19.
“This measure has been completely hijacked,” said William Aucant, a member of the convention and Loire regional councillor, “The state lacks courage and is playing with language to try to do as little as possible.”
Greenpeace France said the halted flights represented only three among 100 domestic routes, which was “extremely insufficient”. However, with other campaign groups it called France’s action important as it set a precedent that could be expanded across Europe. France plans to add more routes to the ban when it reviews its list in three years.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/frances-ban-on-local-flights-fails-to-take-off-kcxmx9sml
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See earlier:
EU approves France’s short-haul flight ban — but only so far for 3 routes from Paris
The European Commission has approved France’s plan to ban short-haul flights when there’s a decent rail alternative — but it will only affect 3 routes. French lawmakers in 2021 voted to prohibit short-haul domestic flights when there’s an alternative rail connection of two and a half hours or less. The original proposal, which required the green light from Brussels, was initially to affect 8 routes. Now the Commission has said the ban can only take place if there are genuine rail alternatives available for the same route — meaning several direct connections each way, every day. So it will just apply to journeys between Paris-Orly and Bordeaux, Nantes and Lyon. It includes linking flights from those airports. Three more routes might be added — between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Lyon and Rennes, and between Lyon and Marseille — if rail services improve. The EU executive said France was justified to introduce the measure provided it is “non-discriminatory, does not distort competition between air carriers,[and] is not more restrictive than necessary”. It is not really going to make much of a dent in overall French aviation CO2 emissions.
Click here to view full story…
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French lawmakers in the National Assembly approve a ban on domestic flights, where train takes under 2hrs 30mins
In a recent vote, the French National Assembly voted to abolish domestic flights by any airline on routes than can be covered by train in under two-and-a-half hours, as the government seeks to lower carbon emissions – even while the airline industry has been hit by the pandemic. A citizens’ climate forum established by Macron to help form climate policy had called for the scrapping of flights on routes where the train journey is below 4 hours, or 6 hours. The bill goes to the Senate before a third and final vote in the lower house, where Macron’s ruling party and allies dominate. The measure is part of a broader climate bill that aims to cut French carbon emissions by 40% in 2030 from 1990 levels, though activists accuse President Emmanuel Macron of watering down earlier promises in the draft legislation. However, the French government will contribute to a €4 billion ($4.76 billion) recapitalisation of Air France, more than doubling its stake in the airline, to keep it going during the Covid crisis. The Industry Minister Agnes said there was no contradiction between the bailout and the climate bill (sic) and despite carbon targets, companies had to be supported. McKinsey analysts forecast that air traffic may not return to 2019 levels before 2024.