Wednesday, November 23, 2005
French government approves air tax to aid poor
Following on from commitments made at a European finance minister's meeting in May, the French Government has approved a new air tax. The proposal now needs parliamentary approval before it is levied. The proceeds which are expected to be about 200 m euros per year will be used to fight world poverty.
The tax adds one euro to the price of a European economy class flight ticket and four euros for log haul flights.
Business Class and First Class passengers will be charged 10 euros for European flights and 40 euros for long haul flights.
The European finance minister's meeting agreed the air travel tax but not all EU member countries will be adopting it. The air tax is an EU idea targeted at meeting United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, which aim to halve world poverty and improve health and sanitation worldwide by 2015.
A few euros on the price of an air ticket which is already very cheap, will in my view not deter passengers from flying. I would also be prepared to pay a tax to mitigate the environmental damage caused by the flight.
What are your views?
The tax adds one euro to the price of a European economy class flight ticket and four euros for log haul flights.
Business Class and First Class passengers will be charged 10 euros for European flights and 40 euros for long haul flights.
The European finance minister's meeting agreed the air travel tax but not all EU member countries will be adopting it. The air tax is an EU idea targeted at meeting United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, which aim to halve world poverty and improve health and sanitation worldwide by 2015.
A few euros on the price of an air ticket which is already very cheap, will in my view not deter passengers from flying. I would also be prepared to pay a tax to mitigate the environmental damage caused by the flight.
What are your views?
