France has reduced its controversial air passenger solidarity tax, or Eco Tax, on many domestic and European economy-class tickets, lowering a levy that airlines say had pushed up fares and added to travel costs for millions of passengers.

The tax, often referred to as the eco tax, was increased earlier this year as part of a broader effort to raise revenue and push aviation toward lower emissions. The latest cut trims the levy on economy tickets for domestic and European flights, while business-class and long-haul charges remain higher. The move is likely to be welcomed by carriers and some tourism groups, but environmental campaigners have argued that aviation should continue to bear a stronger climate cost.

French officials have framed the change as a practical adjustment rather than a reversal of policy, after airlines complained that the earlier increase made France less competitive as a short-haul market. The tax applies to departing passengers rather than arrivals, so the impact will be felt by travellers buying tickets from French airports.

For passengers, the reduction should be most visible on low-cost and regional services, where taxes can account for a notable share of the total fare on short routes. The size of the saving will vary by destination and cabin class, and airlines are not obliged to pass the full reduction through to customers, although lower taxes usually improve pricing pressure on the market.

The change comes amid wider European debate over how to balance aviation demand, public revenue and climate policy. France has been among the countries most willing to use ticket taxes as a policy tool, making the latest cut significant not only for travellers but also for carriers that rely on French domestic and intra-European traffic.