The Federal Minister of Mobility, Georges Gilkinet, is proposing to ban frequent short flights between nearby airports, known as "flea hops," which are seen as a symbol of wasteful air travel.
Primarily used by professionals, airlines, and private jet owners, this practice involves repositioning aircraft for maintenance or customer convenience.
In Belgium, where the maximum length is 375 km, this practice is particularly absurd. In 2022, there were 1,822 such flights between Belgian airports, surpassing the pre-pandemic level of 1,713 in 2019.
Critics argue that these flights are harmful, polluting, and disruptive to local communities.
To address these issues, Minister of Mobility Gilkinet is proposing a royal decree to ban such flights. According to an article published by RTBF, the draft decree prohibits jet and turboprop aircraft, including advertising planes, from taking off or landing within the country's territory.
The airports most affected by the ban will be Brussels, Liège, and Charleroi. According to RTBF, Gilkinet believes that this measure will have minimal impact on individuals and companies, targeting only those who have the means to choose alternative transportation options. Belgium aims to set an example for neighbouring countries, hoping to inspire similar actions.
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The regions of Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia will provide their opinions before the decree is finalised.
The opinions of the regions will determine the progress of the royal decree towards implementation. However, even with the ban, flights between nearby cities across borders may still be possible or even increase, such as Maastricht to Liège (50 km) or Kortrijk to Lille (30 km).
In May, France's banned short-haul domestic flights for journeys of less than two-and-a-half hours.
Under a government decree, any journeys that are possible in less than this time by train cannot be taken as a flight. France is also cracking down on the use of private jets for short journeys.
