No tripling of the taxation of plane tickets for Reunion Island and Overseas Territories is now in place. This Wednesday, November 27, 2024, the Senate adopted an amendment from Guadeloupean senator Victorin Lurel aimed at protecting the island territories and Guyana from the increase in the “Chirac tax” planned by the Government. On the island, voices were raised against this increase deemed “unfair and disproportionate”. (Photo photo Sly/www.imazpress.com)
As part of the 2025 finance bill, the government wanted to impose a tripling of the solidarity tax on plane tickets. This “Chirac tax” was established in 2006 to finance global health programs, particularly in developing countries.
Read also – Air Caraibes and French bee strongly oppose the increase in the solidarity tax on plane tickets
Currently, it varies depending on the class and distance of the flight. For overseas territories, where air transport is crucial, this increase would, according to air transport stakeholders, have further worsened “geographical and economic isolation”.
Senator Victorin Lurel protested that this increase in the price of plane tickets “cumulated with the 17.6% drop in credits allocated to overseas territorial continuity and the reduction of 1.2 million 'euros of subsidies to the Overseas Agency for Mobility.'
– A battle won against ticket prices –
“Through a great mobilization of all colleagues from overseas and Corsica, the Senate collectively adopted amendments aimed at preserving the island territories and Guyana from the dizzying increase in the Chirac tax on banknotes. plane planned by the Government”, welcomes Victorin Lurel.
“The hard-fought compromise today to exclude only economic class passengers to or from overseas and Corsica from this tax increase is a real improvement on the government copy,” adds the elected official. .
The overseas elected officials, headed by the Guadeloupean senator, denounced this project as a “double injustice”. The first is due to the total dependence of overseas territories on air connections, and the second to the fact that these territories are already experiencing additional costs linked to their remoteness.
Read also – Finance Law 2025: the air transport sector once again held to ransom by unjustified taxes
– More dogfights to come –
But if the increase is ruled out, maintaining the current levels of the tax does not erase criticism of its impact for the island territories.
Read also – Fuel surcharge: a very expensive tax
Victorin Lurel also regrets the rejection of his proposals “aimed at completely exempting the DROM from this tax or even at exempting from the tax on air transport essential products transported between France and our territories”, he writes in a press release.
Alongside this amendment, debates on air taxation could come back to the forefront, particularly in the face of environmental imperatives.
www.imazpress.com / [email protected]
Air service, Plane tickets, Chirac tax, Victorin Lurel
