French proposal targets frequent flyers with two-flights-a-year limit
A French mobility think tank has proposed a new policy that would limit individuals in France to two return air journeys per year for personal travel.
The organisation argues that such a measure could reduce air traffic by up to 24% while primarily affecting the small proportion of people who fly most frequently.
French mobility think tank calls for annual flight cap
As reported by FTN News, the proposal comes from Forum Vies Mobiles, a Paris-based think tank focused on transport and personal mobility. On 16 June, the organisation published the findings of a study examining the travel habits of French citizens, particularly air travellers, including how often they fly and the reasons for their journeys.
According to the study, eight in ten French people have flown at least once during their lifetime. However, only 10% took more than two round-trip flights in the past year.
The research also found that the top 20% of travellers account for 76% of all flights taken and nearly 90% of the total distance flown by French citizens.
Over the course of a lifetime, only 5% of travellers take more than 100 flights, while 70% of French people fly fewer than 10 times.
The study further noted that the growth of low-cost airlines has not reduced this imbalance. Approximately 75% of individuals earning more than €6,000 ($6,900) per month have travelled with a low-cost carrier, compared with just one-third of those earning less than €1,500 ($1,725) monthly.
Proposal for a personal annual flight credit
Based on these findings, Forum Vies Mobiles is proposing what it describes as a “personal annual credit” allowing a maximum of two return air journeys per person each year for personal reasons.
Business-related travel would be exempt from the restriction, as the organisation argues such journeys are important for the national economy and broader public interest.
The proposal is designed to place responsibility for aviation-related climate impacts on the approximately 10% of travellers who fly most frequently, rather than requiring all citizens to reduce their air travel equally.
Forum Vies Mobiles estimates that implementing such a system could cut air traffic in France by around 24% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than five million tonnes annually.
Speaking at a press conference on 16 June, Sylvie Landriève, Director of Forum Vies Mobiles, said discussions about air travel often focus either on individual guilt or outright bans, with insufficient attention paid to the reasons people travel and their specific flying habits.
Landriève argued that targeting a relatively small group of very frequent flyers could deliver substantial climate benefits without imposing broad restrictions on the entire population.
Adrien Bonnet, Research Project Manager at Forum Vies Mobiles, added that a personalised quota system could be integrated into existing airline reservation platforms, which already collect passenger information through Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems.
Bonnet also stated that unused flight allowances would not be transferable or available for resale. According to the proposal, the policy would have little impact on 90% of French citizens while helping to curb the continued growth in demand for air travel.
Addressing aviation’s climate impact
Forum Vies Mobiles highlighted that long-haul flights account for only 12.5% of commercial flights in France but generate approximately half of the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The organisation also found that aviation is responsible for 6.4% of France’s total carbon dioxide emissions. It remains the most polluting mode of transport per kilometre travelled and the only transport sector whose emissions have continued to rise, increasing by an average of 2.7% annually since 2010.
Although Forum Vies Mobiles has not presented its proposal as draft legislation or an imminent policy initiative, it views the system as a potential model for a future transport framework.
The objective is to distribute air travel more equitably across the population rather than relying solely on voluntary behavioural changes or taxation.
France’s ongoing efforts to reduce aviation emissions
The proposal joins a broader range of measures and recommendations aimed at reducing aviation-related emissions in France.
Environmental organisations such as Greenpeace have previously advocated limiting individuals to one long-haul flight every ten years, although that proposal has attracted significant criticism across Europe and elsewhere.
Regardless of the debate surrounding Forum Vies Mobiles’ recommendations, France has already taken concrete steps to reduce short-haul air travel.
In 2023, the country introduced restrictions on certain domestic flights as part of its climate strategy. Airlines are no longer permitted to operate regular domestic routes when a direct rail alternative can complete the same journey in two and a half hours or less.
The policy is intended to lower carbon emissions by encouraging passengers to choose rail travel instead of short-haul flights. Routes between Paris and cities such as Lyon, Nantes, and Bordeaux have been affected by the measure.
However, connecting flights remain largely exempt, allowing travellers to reach international destinations through major airport hubs. The policy was approved by the European Commission and is subject to regular review.
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