Flying to Fight Poverty

In an article on Travelmole.com called, “New airline tax proposed to fight global poverty”, the author speaks about a possible increase in the price of airline tickets to reduce the amount of poverty in the world.

“With global leaders and the UN pushing for funding fight against poverty, one group of countries says the tax will help.
France, Brazil, Chile and Germany called for a new tax on airline tickets to help finance the global fight against poverty, and urged other countries to support the proposal, at a UN ministerial meeting.

In the search for new ways of funding the UN goal of halving extreme poverty by 2015, France led the proposed new airline. France’s Minister of Economy and Finance Thierry Breton said, “Airline tickets were chosen because airlines benefit from globalization and pay low tax rates, because airline passengers “are rarely among the poorest citizens,” and because the practical and legal feasibility of similar levels has been proven in Britain and elsewhere, reported the Associated Press.

The tax is proposed to be different for domestic and international travel and for economy and business seats, and it could also vary depending on a country’s wealth. The example given, if all countries participated, is a tax of 5 euros (US$6.08) per passenger, with a 20 euro (US$24.32) surcharge for business class, which would generate about 10 billion euros (US$12.16 billion) a year.”