The tax for economy class tickets increased from €2.63 to €7.40 for domestic flights or flights to Europe, from €7.51 to €15 for flights to non-European destinations and to €40 for flights to destinations more than 5,500 kilometers away.
Business class fares are now taxed at €30, €80 and €120 for the three fare categories, respectively. Taxes for private jet trips range from €210 to €2,100, depending on the distance flown and aircraft type.
“France is isolating itself fiscally in Europe,” said Thomas Juin, president of the French airport lobby UAF, in reaction to Ryanair’s announcement.
According to Juin, the tax increase is “a serious mistake with direct consequences: growing isolation of many regions, job losses, a decline in tourism, and a net loss for the French economy.”
“It is time to turn the page on punitive taxation and give our regions back the means to flourish, innovate, and welcome the world,” he added.
Ryanair announced it will redirect the capacity it cut in France “to more competitive European markets,” said the carrier’s Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness.
The low-cost airline warned that “France may lose even more capacity and investment to more competitive markets by the summer of 2026,” unless it takes “urgent action” to cut the national taxes.
France, along with Spain and six non-European countries, recently signed a pledge to increase aviation taxes to raise money to fight global poverty and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
