The rejection of the 2025 finance bill and the fall of Michel Barnier's government, which occurred on December 4, led to significant upheavals in the aviation sector. The planned tripling of the solidarity tax on plane tickets, nicknamed the “Chirac tax”, has been abandoned. Companies which had applied this increase in advance will have to reimburse their customers.
The additional cost of the Chirac tax finally canceled
The political instability of recent weeks has had unexpected repercussions for travelers and airlines. As part of the 2025 Budget, the government planned to triple the solidarity tax on plane tickets from January 1, 2025. For international flights, this increase would have increased the tax from 7.51 euros to 40 euros in economy class and from 63.07 euros to 120 euros in business class.
However, certain companies, such as Air France, Air Caraibes, Corsair and French Bee, had anticipated this increase by applying the new scales from November 2024. This decision, taken to avoid a brutal repercussion at the start of the year, turns out to be now problematic: the censorship of the Barnier government renders the measure obsolete. Travelers who purchased their tickets at a higher rate must now be reimbursed.
Reimbursements expected… but uncertain
The airlines have undertaken to return the excess amounts collected. « Everyone will be refunded », assures Air France, cited by The Parisian. These reimbursements could take the form of bank transfers or credits, depending on the terms which remain to be defined. The companies specify, however, that they have not unduly retained these amounts. “ These funds are usually returned to the state. We can return them without difficulty », Indicates a carrier.
-Despite these promises, several gray areas remain. No carrier has provided precise figures on the number of passengers affected or the steps to follow to obtain a refund. The abandonment of this tax, which should have generated a billion euros for public finances, also highlights the tensions in a sector already weakened by competition and environmental concerns.
While awaiting clarification of the terms, travelers can hope for a return to standardized rates. This episode highlights the need for airlines to cautiously anticipate regulatory changes in an unstable political context.
