The measure would prevent flights from Paris to Nantes, Lyon or Bordeaux. The bill, which is part of a climate law, actually ratifies the current regulation. In May 2020, the French government had promised to support Air France financially, on the condition that those domestic connections were abolished. The law now also makes it impossible for other airlines to fill that gap.
A fierce debate preceded the vote. Elected officials from the southwest of the country in particular criticized the restriction. The aircraft manufacturer Airbus (in Toulouse) and many suppliers have established themselves in that region. They fear that the measure will cost a lot of jobs.
Ecologists, on the other hand, wanted the 2.5-hour threshold to be raised to a 4-hour train ride. They point out that the polluting connections Paris-Nice, Paris-Toulouse and Paris-Marseille can still exist. But according to French Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, a limit of 4 hours threatens to isolate regions such as the Massif Central.
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