France bans domestic fights on short routes, asks passengers to use trains

Paris: France on Tuesday has taken out domestic flights from short routes, asking commuters to rely on trains instead.

A new law bans flying any journey taking less than two-and-a-half hours, and asks passengers to use trains instead, according to BBC.

The changes in travel plans come in a bid to harness carbon emissions fueling climate change globally.

There will not be any air travel between Paris and regional areas like Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux; however, the changes will not affect connecting fights.

France's transport minister, Clement Beaune, told CNN that the step is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

‘ As we fight relentlessly to decarbonize our lifestyles, how can we justify the use of the plane between the big cities which benefit from regular, fast, and efficient connections by train,’ Beaune was quoted as saying.

The new guidelines will ensure that trains are plied frequently, timely serving the needs of the passengers.

Commuters will be able to complete their up and down journey on the same day having spent eight hours at their destination.

Passengers using private jets for short journeys will have to comply with the new law, according to the report.

Private jets are 14 times more polluting than commercial flights considering per passenger mile impact, while they are 50 times worse than trains.

However, the aviation industry is not happy with the changes. Laurent Donceel, interim head of Airlines for Europe (A4E), said that trip banning will have ‘minimal effects’ on CO2 emission.

Laurent Donceel urged the government to implement ‘real and significant solutions’.