France plans to ban domestic flights where train alternatives are available, as part of its strategy to reduce emissions

France is set to eliminate certain short domestic flights in favor of train travel, after lawmakers approved a measure to discontinue several air routes to cut emissions.

On Saturday, MPs approved suspending flights by domestic carriers that can be replaced by trains in under two-and-a-half hours, as part of a broader climate initiative.

If the legislation clears France’s Senate, the country will join several European nations moving away from short-haul air travel.

However, President Emmanuel Macron has faced criticism for softening the original proposals from his environmental panel, which had recommended banning flights where train journeys take less than four hours.

Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari defended the government's proposal as 'reasonable,' explaining to lawmakers that a four-hour limit would negatively affect regions that depend on flights.

'When a strong alternative exists, passengers typically switch to trains,' Djebbari said, pointing to routes like Strasbourg and Bordeaux to Paris. 'Each time high-speed rail has competed with air travel, trains have significantly attracted airline passengers.'

Djebbari also stated that the bill would lead to the discontinuation of flights between Paris Orly Airport and Nantes, as well as Lyon.

However, the measures don't apply to flights that are typically part of international connections, meaning Paris Charles de Gaulle airport will largely be unaffected as France's primary international hub.

Left-wing MP Danièle Obono criticized the government's shift from a four-hour limit, claiming it would 'preserve the three routes with the highest greenhouse gas emissions: Paris-Nice, Paris-Toulouse, and Paris-Marseille.'

The four-hour proposal originated from the Climate Convention citizens’ panel, established by Macron to gauge public opinion on measures to reduce emissions.

Several European nations have been encouraging train travel as a substitute for domestic flights, even as the airline sector struggles due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Last year, Austria’s leading airline was instructed to replace one of its flights with a more frequent train service to comply with the environmental conditions of its government bailout.