Minimal disruptions from airline strike in France as unions protest tax hike

ISTANBUL

Air traffic in France remained mostly unaffected on Thursday despite a strike called by several airline unions in protest against the government’s plan to raise air transport taxes by one billion euros.

Only four Transavia flights, roughly 2% of the airline's schedule, were canceled, Le Parisien reported.

Major carriers such as Air France, Air Caraibes, and EasyJet confirmed that their operations were running as usual, with no disruption to their flight schedules.

The strike comes in response to the French government's proposal to increase taxes on air transport, a measure included in the 2025 finance bill approved last week by French lawmakers.

While the tax hike was trimmed to one year and excludes overseas territories and Corsica, unions, including the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL), have rallied against the plan, arguing it would harm the industry, jobs, and the economy.

French Minister Delegate for Transport Francois Durovray defended the measure, stating that the tax increase would help restore the state’s finances and address environmental concerns related to carbon emissions from aviation.

Industry leaders are concerned about the tax burden on French airports, which already face heavy taxation compared to other European nations.

Pascal de Izaguirre, president of the National Federation of Aviation, warned that the increased tax could further diminish France’s competitiveness and make the country less attractive to tourists.

He also criticized the lack of impact studies on the economic consequences for the sector.

Unions plan to continue their protest by demonstrating at Les Invalides later in the day.