2027 Budget: Why France's New Airport Tax Will Skyrocket Flight Prices
France is set to deal a major blow to travelers with its 2027 budget proposal. Between a new tax on the most profitable airports and a hike in security fees, the French aviation sector fears a ripple effect on ticket prices. This decision comes as airlines and passengers already face persistent inflation and a tense geopolitical climate.
The government aims to generate an additional €800 million in revenue to fund its ecological ambitions, but it’s the taxpayers and passengers who will likely foot the bill. Affected airports, such as ADP, Lyon, or Nice, may be forced to pass these new costs onto airport fees, directly impacting ticket prices.
Infrastructure managers are denouncing blind fiscal measures that add to an already heavy tax burden, including the solidarity tax on air tickets and the contribution to social debt repayment. The overlapping of these levies raises questions about the sector’s ability to absorb these new constraints without increasing traveler costs.
A progressive tax targeting the most profitable airports
The draft law proposes making the Long-Distance Transport Infrastructure Exploitation Tax (TEITLD), currently set at 4.6%, progressive. The most profitable hubs could see this rate rise to 12.2%, while less lucrative airports would remain unaffected. While framed as a targeted measure, it risks destabilizing struggling operators and penalizing regional routes.
According to the Ministry of Transport, this reform aims to fund the “Ambition Transports” fund, designed to modernize networks in response to climate change. Yet industry professionals highlight a contradictory logic: how can investments in ecological transition be made when available resources are siphoned off by new taxes?
Thomas Juin, President of the French Airports Union (UAF), sums up the widespread concern: “The government persists in a fiscal policy that adds to an already burdensome aviation tax system since 2025. We demand the withdrawal of this new hike and an immediate overhaul of air transport taxation.”
Higher security fees: a burden for passengers
Another cause for concern is the proposed increase in the security and safety fee (T2S) cap, currently set at €20 per passenger. The draft law suggests raising it to €22 for certain categories of aerodromes. If implemented, this measure could directly impact ticket prices.
Small and medium-sized airports, already under pressure, fear an automatic pass-through of this increase to their fees. This could further weaken already fragile routes, particularly those with low traffic or tourist-focused operations.
French travelers are not spared either. With limited service in some regions, higher fees could lead to reduced flight frequencies or price hikes, making air travel even less accessible.
An already challenging context for airlines
Airlines operating in France are feeling the full brunt of this new fiscal burden. Between rising jet fuel costs, wage pressures, and geopolitical uncertainties, carriers’ margins are already under strain. A new tax on infrastructure would only exacerbate the situation, with a real risk of reduced services or route cancellations.
AnimaWings, for example, illustrates the difficulties faced by low-cost carriers in Europe. Hit by technical issues with its A220 fleet and rising operational costs, the Romanian airline suspended most of its flights in October 2026, leaving thousands of passengers in limbo.
For travelers, the consequences are already visible in terms of choice and pricing. With shrinking options and rising fares, alternatives like trains or cars—despite longer travel times—could become more appealing.
What the Chicago Convention says: a gray area in taxation
Air transport taxation is a complex issue governed by international conventions like the Chicago Convention of 1944, which prohibits taxing jet fuel for international flights. However, the French government is exploiting a loophole by targeting airport fees and infrastructure taxes, levies not directly tied to fuel.
A key question arises: how far can taxation go without violating these agreements? For now, the government insists the effort will primarily target shareholders of the most profitable operators, without burdening users. While this offers some reassurance, doubts linger over the feasibility of this promise.
Support measures for regional routes
In response to industry backlash, the government has outlined territorial continuity measures for certain routes. The draft law mentions adjustments to air transport taxation for residents of overseas territories or services to Strasbourg. These exemptions, according to the UAF, highlight the inconsistency of a fiscal policy that first weakens before offering help.
For travelers, these adjustments may temporarily mitigate the reform’s impact, but they fail to address the core issue: an aviation tax system that is growing increasingly complex without a cohesive long-term vision.
As parliamentary debates loom, industry players are urging urgent consultation. The risk? France could lose market share to other European hubs, which are less taxed and more attractive to both airlines and passengers.
In the meantime, travelers are advised to monitor fare and route updates, with the option to postpone or cancel plans based on upcoming announcements. One thing is certain: the cost of flying in 2027 could be far steeper than in 2026.
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