Restricting domestic routes to a two-and-a-half-hour rail journeyproposed as part of the Climate and Resilience Bill, has been adopted on first reading by the French National Assembly.
This first vote paves the way for the cancellation of four flights from Orly to Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes and Rennes. It also includes suspension of the line Lyon-Marseille. All these routes benefit from TGV journeys of less than two and a half hours.
However, the Roissy routes remain exempt from this rule. They are an integral part of the power of the Air France hub at CDG and provide...
Restricting domestic routes to a two-and-a-half-hour rail journeyproposed as part of the Climate and Resilience Bill, has been adopted on first reading by the French National Assembly.
This first vote paves the way for the cancellation of four flights from Orly to Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes and Rennes. It also includes suspension of the line Lyon-Marseille. All these routes benefit from TGV journeys of less than two and a half hours.
However, the Roissy routes remain exempt from this rule. They are an integral part of the power of the Air France hub at CDG and provide global connectivity from major regional cities.
Yet environmental groups are already getting restless. According to the "UFC-Que choisirthe environmental benefit with the abolition of these domestic lines is deemed "derisory. For the latter, this decision will reduce CO2 emissions by only 3%, with 12% fewer movements.
The association would therefore like to strengthen and extend this ban by going back to the basic proposal of the Citizens' Climate Convention. This proposal was to ban flights in competing with rail links up to four hours away.
A gauge pushed back from 2h30 to 4h00?
This would mean most airlines in mainland Franceincluding Orly-Brest, Orly-Montpellier, Orly-Marseille and medium term, Orly-Toulouse. A large number of transverse lines would also be endangered. The association estimates that such an extension would make it possible to reduce by 30% domestic air traffic. The measure would reduce carbon emissions by 12.5%.
It is unlikely that the current government will accede to such a demand in the short term. A future government, however, could revisit the issue. Pressure is likely to mount from environmental movements.. A new compromise would then take shape. Such as extending the current ban to airlines competing with three-hour rail journeys. The lobbies are already sharpening their weapons behind the scenes.
