The airline Air France wants the French government to limit the access of Chinese airlines to the country. Russian airspace is closed to many Western airlines, but is accessible to planes from China. Special taxes or other measures for Chinese airlines can correct this form of unfair competition, Air France believes.
The Bloomberg news agency reports that the French airline, part of Air France-KLM, is pressuring President Emanuel Macron to take measures. Now that the Chinese market is recovering from the corona pandemic, the number of flights to and from China will only increase, the airline predicts.
Distortion of competition
“We support the increase in capacity between France and China, but there must be a level playing field,” said an Air France spokesman. “There is currently a distortion of competition that needs to be addressed.”
Air France wants to more than double the number of flights to China, to fourteen a week. But since Russian airspace must be avoided, a trip to China takes several hours longer. As a result, both fuel and personnel costs per flight are higher.
Millions of tourists
In addition to Air France, major French hotel and retail chains are also putting pressure on the Macron government. Hotel chains Accor and Club Med SAS, department store owner Galeries Lafayette Group and Aeroports de Paris have long advocated for increased access for Chinese tourists. Before the corona pandemic, France was visited by over two million Chinese tourists every year.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
