The National Assembly abolishes certain domestic airlines



In the hemicycle of the National Assembly. (drawing) – NICOLAS MESSYASZ / SIPA

The National Assembly voted on Saturday evening at first reading to delete certain domestic airlines, in the event of alternatives in the process of less than 2:30, after a lively debate and differences even in the majority. This emblematic measure of the climate bill aims to eliminate links between Paris (Orly) and Nantes, Lyon or Bordeaux, but provides for exceptions for connecting journeys. The Citizens’ Convention for the Climate had demanded to give up domestic flights in the event of alternatives of less than 4 hours by train, and not 2:30.

The government bill especially ratifies the existing one, since the government had forced Air France to give up the routes concerned in return for financial support in May 2020. It will prohibit competitors from rushing into the breach. “We chose (the threshold in the process of) 2h30 because 4 hours it dries up often landlocked territories such as the great Massif Central … It would be unfair in terms of territorial equity”, argued the Minister for Transport Jean -Baptist Djebbari.

The PS and the right against the measure

But the measure sparked an outcry from parliamentarians from different sides, often elected from the South West, where Airbus is based in Toulouse, and many of its subcontractors. PS Joël Aviragnet (Haute-Garonne) criticized the “disproportionate human cost” of the device and warned against job losses in aeronautics. His colleague David Habib criticized a measure of “decrease” and “unemployment”. On the right, Jean-Marie Sermier and Martial Saddier (LR) denounced a measure which “breaks an exceptional sector”.

Because of the Covid, “we have a sector that is going very badly”, added the Modem Nicolas Turquois, member of the majority. Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari wanted to “play down the debate”, stressing “the complementarity of modes” between plane and train: “Each time”, the development of TGVs “dried up very quickly” the airlines concerned, he said. -He insists.

Environmentalists and rebels for a threshold at 4 hours

Conversely, ecologists and rebels pleaded to return to the initial proposal of the Citizen’s Convention for the climate, with the threshold of 4 hours. Mathilde Panot (LFI) criticized the “empty article” of the current bill. A threshold of 4 hours would remove the lines “the most emitting” of greenhouse gases such as Paris-Nice, Paris-Toulouse and Paris-Marseille, insisted Danièle Obono (LFI).

A decree must specify the measure and any other lines likely to be affected, such as Paris-Rennes or Lyon-Marseille. The bill also provides for gradual carbon offsetting of domestic flights – Air France is already applying it – and a ban on the expansion of airport facilities by expropriation if they lead to an increase in emissions.



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