On 12 October, during the budget approval process, the Belgian government decided to introduce a “boarding tax” to short-haul flights to combat the pollution they cause.
From 2022, tax will have to be paid for short flights from Brussels. The new tax will range from 4 to 6 euros and will apply to all passengers flying through Belgium airport.
The tax will have to be paid if the destination city is located less than 500 kilometers from the Belgian capital. For example, this is Amsterdam, London, Paris or Zurich.
Traveling by train is nearly five times more sustainable than flying an airplane, according to a recent report from the European Environment Agency (EEA).