PARIS, FRANCE — From April this year, the French government is banning short flights where train journeys of 2.5 hours or less exist. The decision comes as the European Union is preparing to launch an ambitious carbon reduction program.
The flight ban includes routes from Paris to popular destinations such as Bordeaux and Lyon. Flights that connect to international flights are the exception of the new implementation. Other EU countries are considering similar bans as well, including Spain and some Scandinavian countries. Germany has already doubled the taxes on short-haul flights and is also exploring the short-haul flight ban rule. Austrian Airlines has already dropped its popular Vienna to Salzburg route. Passengers arriving in Vienna now have to transfer to train service up to Salzburg.
However, long-haul routes cause more carbon emissions. According to European air traffic management organization Eurocontrol, long-haul flights generate half of all carbon emissions within Europe although they make up just six percent of flights.
