This move comes two years after lawmakers initially voted to phase out flights that could be replaced by train travel within a two-and-a-half-hour timeframe.

Consequently, air travel between major French cities like Paris, Nantes, Lyon, and Bordeaux will be significantly curtailed, while connecting flights remain unaffected.

The global airline industry continues to grapple with the severe repercussions of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with Flightradar24 reporting a staggering 42% decline in flight numbers compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Despite calls for even stricter regulations, the French government has taken a significant step forward in response to the demands for environmental action.

The Citizens' Convention on Climate, an initiative launched by President Emmanuel Macron in 2019, involving 150 members of the public, proposed eliminating air travel on routes that could be completed by train within a four-hour timeframe. (ILKHA)