German air travellers get 6-month buffer before climate levy

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 value-added tax on rail tickets that will take effect from January, ministry officials reported Monday. German domestic air travel has stagnated for years, falling 0.8% to 23.5m 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 99m passengers. <br/>