French airline unions went on strike on Thursday to protest the government’s plan to raise taxes on air transport by one billion euros.
Only four Transavia flights were cancelled, representing about 2% of the airline’s schedule, Le Parisien reported. Major carriers such as Air France, Air Caraibes and EasyJet confirmed that their operations were business as usual and flight schedules were not disrupted.
The strike was a response to the French government’s proposal to raise taxes on air travel. The measure was included in the 2025 finance bill approved by French lawmakers last week.
The levy hike, especially for long-haul flights, is expected to generate an additional 1 billion euros ($1.07 billion) in revenue next year.
Although the tax hike has been cut to one year and does not apply to overseas territories and Corsica, unions including the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL) have opposed the plan, arguing it would damage the industry, jobs and the economy.
French Transport Minister François Durovray’s delegate defended the measure, saying the tax hike would help restore public finances and address environmental concerns over aviation’s carbon emissions.
Industry leaders are concerned about the tax burden on French airports, which are already heavily taxed compared to other European countries.
Pascal de Izaguirre, president of the National Federation of Aviation, warned that a tax increase could further reduce France’s competitiveness and make the country less attractive to tourists. He also criticised the lack of research into the economic impact on the industry.
The unions plan to continue their protest with a demonstration in Les Invalides later in the day.
