Belgium to tax private jets and short-haul flights
, 2022-12-19 09:12:19
As of April 1, 2023, Belgium will increase taxes on short-haul flights and private jets to reduce noise and air pollution, as reported by Reuters. Currently, the air traffic tax varies according to the noise of the aircraft during take-off and landing. The higher the noise, the higher the tax. As of today, private jets are excluded from this regulation.
According to the European Business Aviation Association, business aviation represents 12% of all air traffic in Belgium (3,000 flights per year). The average pollution created by a private flight user is between 5 and 14 times higher than that of the commercial traveler, and 50 times that of the train traveler.
There are almost as many commercial aircraft fleets (26,000) as private ones (22,000). Just 1% of air travelers account for 50% of global aviation emissions. The US is responsible for the vast majority of private flights, according to McKinsey.
The noise pollution experienced by residents near Brussels National Airport cannot remain as it is.
Georges Gilkinet, transport minister
The new measures are seen as an attempt to curb global warming and use the fiscal income to develop other means of sustainable transportation. It is not yet clear whether the new fiscal legislation will reduce the number of short-haul flights or only increase ticket prices. The amount of the planned taxes is not yet known, which makes it difficult to forecast the effects.
Neighboring France has decided to ban short-haul domestic flights….
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