German Air Travelers Get 6-Month Buffer Before Climate Levy

(Bloomberg) -- New climate protection surcharges on German air travel will begin in April, giving passengers a temporary reprieve before tickets become more expensive and providing airlines time to adjust pricing.

Lifting surcharges is an element of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s plan to nudge consumers to opt for trains instead of planes, above all in domestic travel. The increased fees are aimed at offsetting a cut in -added tax on rail tickets that will take effect from January, ministry officials reported Monday at a press conference in Berlin.

German domestic air travel has stagnated for years, falling 0.8% to 23.5 million passengers in 2018 compared with the year before, according to the Federal Statistics Office. International flights from Germany are soaring, rising 5.5% last year to 99 million passengers.

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