The French pilots' union SNPL has called on its members to go on a one-day strike on November 14, 2024, to protest against a planned increase in the tax on airline tickets. The French government plans to triple the air transport tax in order to generate additional revenue for the state budget.
The measure is expected to bring around one billion euros into the state coffers annually and is part of the austerity budget that aims to save around 2027 billion euros by 60. However, the union fears significant disadvantages for the country's aviation industry, especially for French airlines such as Air France.
Air France has reacted cautiously to the call for a strike, pointing out that a strike could affect both the company and the passengers. Many pilots are critical of the call for a strike, as the tax costs would be passed on to the passengers anyway. Similar developments are also taking place in Germany, where the air traffic tax was recently increased by 25%. The German airlines, including Ryanair, are also criticizing the burden of taxes and fees and are calling for them to be reduced.
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