a measure “very ineffective in reducing carbon emissions”, according to the president of the Union of French airports

“Banning these flights will do very little to reduce carbon emissions.“, estimated Tuesday, May 23 on franceinfo the president of the Union of French airports (UAF), Thomas June, while the ban on short domestic flights in France in the event of an alternative by train in less than 2h30 entered in force. “We plan to challenge the decree“, he indicated.

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This prohibition provided for by the Climate and Resilience Law of August 22, 2021, and already applied in practice, was published in a decree published on Tuesday May 23 in the Official Journal. “We dispute this idea that the reduction of carbon emissions from the aviation sector could go through the banning of air links in the years to come.“, said Thomas June.

“There are no other countries in Europe that have chosen this path“, he added, advancing the fact that “the lines concerned represent 0.24% of air transport emissions in France“. Moreover, according to the president of the UAF, “this measurement underestimates the impact and the social and economic utility of an air link, with for example 600,000 passengers per year for the Bordeaux-Orly line“.

“We recommend alternatives to banning“, continued Thomas June, evoking in turn “fleet renewal“, “the use of sustainable fuels” And “technological innovations in the years to come“.