EBAA France warns of French aviation’s decline and its impact on regional economies

EBAA France, the representative body for France’s business aviation ecosystem, brings together aircraft operators, airport activities, aircraft manufacturing, maintenance, and training providers. Following the warning issued by FNAM and IATA on 8 October regarding the declining competitiveness of French air transport, EBAA France is also raising concerns about the deteriorating position of French business aviation operators.

Figures published by the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) reveal a sustained contraction in business aviation activity among French operators, with declines of 20% in the third quarter of 2025, 14% in the fourth quarter of 2025, 20% in the first quarter of 2026, and 11% in the second quarter of 2026. Several French operators have reduced their activities, while others have ceased operations altogether. At the same time, foreign operators have continued to expand their presence, increasing their share of business aviation activity in France from 86% at the start of 2025 to 91% by mid-2026.

Since March 2025, France’s solidarity tax on airline tickets (TSBA) applied to business aviation has reached as much as €2,100 per passenger. This additional fiscal burden comes at a time of significant economic and geopolitical challenges. Ongoing tensions in the Middle East have driven a sharp increase in jet fuel prices while also disrupting air operations across the region.

As discussions on the national budget continue, EBAA France is calling for a reassessment of both the effectiveness and level of this taxation, given its impact on the competitiveness of French operators, employment, and regional connectivity. Business aviation plays a vital role in supporting regional connectivity through a network of airports that link economic centres often located far from major hubs or insufficiently served by scheduled commercial services.

These airports support a wide range of activities, including business and industrial travel, medical and governmental missions, aircraft maintenance, and associated aviation services, all of which contribute significantly to local employment and economic development.

The concerns expressed by EBAA France are echoed beyond the industry itself. In his report on the implementation of tax measures, published on 23 September, Philippe Juvin, General Rapporteur for the Budget at the French National Assembly, described the condition of the business aviation sector as “severely deteriorated”. He urged policymakers to pay particular attention to the sector, pointing to the consequences of its current tax treatment and the limited benefits generated for public finances.

The weakening position of French operators and regional airports therefore raises a broader strategic question: how France can preserve aviation activity, employment, expertise, and regional connectivity within its borders.

Charles Aguettant, President of EBAA France, commented: “We must now look at the outcomes of aviation taxation, not just its rates. When French operators account for 9% of business aviation activity in our country, this raises a real issue of national sovereignty. Business aviation goes beyond business travel: it also performs essential missions, including medical transport, medical evacuations and organ transport. If we allow French operators to disappear, we risk losing control over strategic aviation capabilities and becoming dependent on foreign operators to carry out these public-interest missions. This is not about exempting business aviation from contributing to the budgetary effort, but about advocating effective, proportionate taxation that is compatible with the competitiveness of our businesses, employment and regional connectivity. The question is simple: What kind of aviation do we want to retain the ability to operate independently in France in the years ahead?”

2027 Finance Bill: EBAA France calls for a review of aviation tax levels The parliamentary debate must provide an opportunity to draw lessons from the reform that came into force in 2025. EBAA France calls for:

• A reversal of the TSBA increase introduced on 1 March 2025, to preserve the competitiveness of the business aviation sector and the jobs it supports.

• A review of tax levels applicable to non-scheduled air transport, taking into account the economic realities of operations and public finance requirements.

• An assessment of the cumulative impact of taxation on operators, infrastructure and aviation activities, to ensure that the measures adopted do not drive the activity they seek to tax out of France.