Flight ban slated

Emmanuel Macron’s flagship environmental policy to ban domestic flying in France has been condemned as “complete and utter nonsense” by the body that represents global airlines. France is to outlaw flights between destinations where there is an existing rail connection that takes less than two and a half hours, such as between Orly airport, south of Paris, and Nantes or Bordeaux. The European Commission signed off the rules earlier this week, which are expected to come in force next year. But Willie Walsh, head of airlines body the International Air Transport Association, said research shows that although banning flights of 500km or less would reduce service levels by nearly a quarter, carbon emissions would only be reduced by 3.8 per cent.