GROUNDED

France Moves to Ban Short Haul Domestic Flights

The controversial ban on short domestic flights is part of a broader climate bill seeking to bring down carbon emissions even as the travel industry struggles to recover.

French lawmakers approved a ban on short-haul domestic flights late Saturday, paving the way for one of the most controversial climate bills in Europe. If it passes the French senate, the ban would force airlines to cancel all domestic flights under two and a half hours and force travelers and commuters to instead take trains. The move comes as France tries to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent, but has come under fire as the air travel industry is struggling to recover from pandemic-induced travel bans. French Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher dismissed criticism from the aviation industry which argued that this is not the time to introduce such a ban. “We know that aviation is a contributor of carbon dioxide and that because of climate change we must reduce emissions,” she told Europe 1 radio. “Equally, we must support our companies and not let them fall by the wayside.”