French Business Aviation Group Demands Flight Tax Reform

The French chapter of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) this week renewed its calls for the country’s government to make changes to the so-called “solidarity tax” it says is unfairly targeting the industry. In a statement issued late Tuesday, the warned that the French tax—which is levied at a much higher rate for private charter flights than for airline services—has caused “unprecedented industrial and competitive decline.”

As part of ongoing discussions about the 2026 budget, EBAA France wants the government to at least reduce the tax rate to the same as that charged for business- and first-class passengers on airline flights. It said that rates charged for private charter services can be as much as 30 to 50 times higher.

The Paris-based group is also requesting that the government establishes “fair collection mechanisms” so that the tax is levied consistently for both French and foreign operators. It has reported that many charter operators based outside the country are not aware of the tax and that officials are not doing enough to ensure that they pay for flights in and out of French airports, causing a competitive imbalance in terms of costs.

EBAA France also demanded that tax revenues are allocated to efforts to decarbonize aviation. The solidarity tax took effect from the start of 2025.

Foreign Operators Get Unfair Advantage

According to the association, flight activity for French operators declined by 21.8% in the third quarter, but traffic for foreign operators flying in and out of France increased by 4%.

“In practice, it is foreign competitors who benefit from this situation—capturing French demand without contributing to national taxes, employment in France, or the local industrial ecosystem, all without any environmental gain,” EBAA France said. The group warned the tax poses an existential threat to the survival of French operators, jobs, and skills, while undermining an industry “in which France was not only a pioneer but also a recognized global leader.”

Commenting on an article in the French financial newspaper Les Echos on November 1, EBAA France president Charles Aguettant said that tax rates for intra-European flights range from €210 to €420 per passenger, rising to up to €2,100 per passenger for long-haul flights.

Prospects for agreeing on a national budget for 2026 have been severely complicated by extreme political discord in the French parliament. Representatives from multiple opposition parties have repeatedly resisted the efforts of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to get approval for a budget, compromising hopes for tax reform.