The fall of the Barnier government will force Air France to reimburse many customers

TRANSPORT – Travelers who have booked a plane ticket from January 1, 2025, departing from France, will soon have part of the amount of their ticket refunded. This is one of the multiple consequences of the fall of Michel Barnier's government.

The Prime Minister's censorship led to the freezing of the 2025 finance bill, which notably provided for a tripling of the solidarity tax on plane tickets (TSBA). However, companies had already anticipated this increase, passing it on to their prices since the beginning of November. This would, for example, lead to an increase of between six and thirty euros for economy class tickets, depending on the distance of the flight.

With the suspension of this tax reform, airlines therefore find themselves with an overpayment. Faced with this situation, Air France confirmed this Thursday, December 5 that it would reimburse the difference to ensure that passengers do not pay more than the amount actually owed. However, the reimbursement method has not yet been detailed by the company.

For its part, the Corsair company is “ in the process of lifting the application of this tax »a spokesperson for the company specializing in overseas and African routes told AFP. “ We are committed to reimbursing customers for the overpayment”she also clarified. According to a source close to the matter, the National Federation of Aviation and its Trades (Fnam), which represents the French aviation sector, must adopt a common position for all of its members on Friday.

An ecological tax, to fight against budgetary debt

Before the fall of the government, the Senate had given the green light to the increase in the TSBA, but had reduced it with a series of measures, particularly for overseas territories, Corsica and small airlines.

Fnam and French airport operators have expressed their hostility to such an increase in taxation, warning of a loss of competitiveness for France compared to other destinations, and the resulting effects on employment. Air France-KLM, for its part, estimated that the tripling of the TSBA would result for it in a “ increase of 280 million euros in the level of taxation »and a “ negative impact of 90 to 170 million euros on operating income ».

“I don’t think that, for flights in Europe, a tax of 9.50 euros calls into question the balance. Just like 120 euros on a Paris-New York business class flight, priced at several thousand euros”replied Transport Minister François Durovray. The objective of this solidarity tax on plane tickets was to make the sector pay for its environmental impact, and thus make it possible to replenish the State coffers to the tune of one billion euros.

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