France Uses Climate Legislation to Replace Short Flights With Trains

French legislators are moving forward with plans to limit short flights in favor of the country's extensive high-speed rail network with a new law that bars most flights on select domestic routes.

Part of a broad climate bill that aims to cut carbon emissions 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2030, the new prohibition would limit all flights on routes where train service takes less than two-and-a-half hours. The ban applies only to flights that cater to local traffic, and not ones that serve connecting flyers. The lower house of France's legislature approved the bill on April 10.

If the law moves forward as expected, the restrictions would apply to flights operated by any airline, not just ones flown by Air France. The national carrier has already suspended flights between Paris Orly — the capital'