Air France increases the price of its tickets before the adoption of the amendment on the solidarity tax

This is a measure that surprises more than one passenger on social networks. Since October 24, the Air France-KLM group, which also owns Transavia, has applied an increase in the price of its tickets for trips from October 1^is next January. In question, amendment 3630 tabled by the government in the 2025 Finance bill which provides for “make air passengers contribute to the effort to restore public accounts”. The executive thus envisages an additional return of one billion euros, of which 150 million euros would come from commercial business aviation and 850 million euros from regular air services.

Concretely, the amount of the solidarity tax on plane tickets could triple and represent an additional 9.50 euros per trip for flights in Europe and 120 euros on a Paris-New York in business class, according to the amendment. In a press release, Air France goes further and details the planned increases in relation to the distance traveled during the trip. Domestic flights (including overseas territories) and flights within the European Union will see their solidarity tax increase from 2.63 euros to 9.50 euros for Economy and Premium cabins and from 20.27 euros to 30 euros for the Business cabin.

For other flights of less than 5,500 km, the amount collected for this tax will be increased from 7.51 euros to 15 euros “for Economy and Premium cabins and from 63.07 euros to 80 euros for Business and La Première cabins”underlines Air France. Finally, for flights beyond 5,500 km, the tax of 7.51 euros will be increased to 40 euros for Economy and Premium cabins and from 63.07 euros to 120 euros for Business and La Première cabins, including tickets represent several thousand euros.

“The application of this scale is visible in the details of the plane price”specifies the aviation group. On a one-way Paris-Nice ticket, scheduled for December 31, the cheapest ticket amounts to 79 euros while it rises to 87 euros the next day, in particular because of the increase in the amount of the solidarity tax.

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An “affordable” additional cost

Customers do not hide their dissatisfaction on the social network X. One of them calls for a boycott of the airlines of the Air France group: “What is your madness about taking the lead on the solidarity tax?” The amendment, still under discussion in the National Assembly, has not yet been adopted by the deputies. To defend itself, Air France justifies a cash advance “to avoid a loss of several tens of millions of euros” if the amendment is adopted in the finance bill for 2025. The group also undertakes, “in the event of modification of the scale, abandonment or rejection of the amendment” to proceed “to a regularization so that the amount collected is equal to the amount actually owed under the title” of the solidarity tax on plane tickets.

The government estimates that the additional cost of 9.50 euros “will remain affordable compared to the price of the ticket”. “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 in business class, priced at several thousand euros.”insists the Minister of Transport, François Durovray, in The Tribune . “I always make the comparison between the price of the train ticket and the price of certain plane tickets: many French people do not understand why the first is more expensive than the second in the case of a certain number of low-cost companies »adds the minister. A justification that has difficulty getting across to users, one of whom wonders: “The French State is the majority shareholder of Air France KLM. Are we taxing the State to finance the State?”

Professionals in the sector are also up in arms against Air France's initiative. “We are surprised by this implementation without any prior information – from those you describe as “partners”! It is also shocking to see the Air France-KLM group applying a tax that has not yet been voted on when at the same time you are protesting against its introduction”indicates a letter dated October 28 – sent to the Tourist Echo – signed by Valérie Boned, president of Travel Companies (EDV) and René-Marc Chikli, president of the Union of tour operating companies (Seto), and addressed to Henri Hourcade, General Manager France at Air France.

If the amendment is adopted by the National Assembly then by the Senate, the government plans to establish “a regularization system once the management and collection of the tax are definitively operational”states the text. In order to reduce France's colossal deficit and generate new revenue, the executive is also targeting other sectors such as the highest incomes, very large companies and the tobacco industry.