The Surge in Airfare Prices is Restricting Freedom of Movement: Considering the Air Mobility Crisis from Guadeloupe

The Surge in Airfare Prices is Restricting Freedom of Movement: Considering the Air Mobility Crisis from Guadeloupe

2025年07月09日 15:30

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction: The "Wing Inflation" Phenomenon

  2. The Abnormal Surge in Guadeloupe Airfares: A Numerical Overview

  3. Four Major Factors of the Price Surge
    3-1. Fuel Prices and Exchange Rates
    3-2. Tripling of the Air Solidarity Tax (TSBA)
    3-3. Supply Constraints: Equipment Shortages and Reduced Competition
    3-4. Geopolitical Risks and Insurance Premiums

  4. Impact on Residents' Lives and Economic Activities
    4-1. Restrictions on Education and Medical Access
    4-2. Decline in Overseas Territory Tourism and Price Spiral

  5. Limitations of Public Assistance: LADOM and the French Government's "Continuity" Policy

  6. Comparison with Japan's Remote Island Routes

  7. Global Perspective: IATA Statistics and the Deceleration of Passenger Demand in 2025

  8. Solutions and Recommendations
    8-1. Revising Tax Design
    8-2. Promotion of SAF and Incentives
    8-3. Diverse Transportation Integration and "Slow Travel"
    8-4. Substituting Mobility Demand with Digital Public Services

  9. Conclusion: Ensuring Fair Use of the Skies



1. Introduction: The "Wing Inflation" Phenomenon

While airfare prices are rising globally, remote island regions are particularly hard hit. Due to its high geographical isolation, airfares in Guadeloupe have become a necessity, with the average one-way fare soaring to 981 euros in 2025.rci.fm



2. The Abnormal Surge in Guadeloupe Airfares: A Numerical Overview

According to the barometer published by French OTA "MisterFly" in June, the average airfare across France rose by 3.3% year-on-year, but the Guadeloupe route surged by 24%, and the Martinique route by 15%. The highest fare was on the La Réunion route at 998 euros, with mainland France-overseas department routes dominating the top three.rci.fm



3. Four Major Factors of the Price Surge

3-1. Fuel Prices and Exchange Rates

As of May 2025, Brent crude oil stabilized at $64 per barrel, but post-pandemic hedging costs and rising refining margins continue to be passed on to airfares.iata.org


3-2. Tripling of the Air Solidarity Tax (TSBA)

The 2025 French Finance Law increased the TSBA by about three times, taxing all domestic and international flights. While the revenue is allocated to infrastructure investment, exemptions for overseas departments were not granted, directly burdening island residents.lemonde.fr


3-3. Supply Constraints: Equipment Shortages and Reduced Competition

Delays in Airbus deliveries, maintenance personnel shortages, and fines related to the 2015-2019 price cartel issue involving Air Antilles and Air Caraïbes have led to a long-term reduction in supply capacity.fr.wikipedia.org


3-4. Geopolitical Risks and Insurance Premiums

Airlines explain that tensions in the Iran-Israel situation and the Red Sea route have led to additional detour routes and insurance premiums.rci.fm



4. Impact on Residents' Lives and Economic Activities

4-1. Restrictions on Education and Medical Access

The cost of studying at mainland universities from Guadeloupe can reach about 2 million yen for ten round trips annually, which scholarships cannot cover. The lack of telemedicine forces high-cost travel.rci.fm


4-2. Decline in Overseas Territory Tourism and Price Spiral

If high airfares reduce tourist numbers, island prices, which rely on imports, will also rise, advancing the cost-of-living spiral.



5. Limitations of Public Assistance: LADOM and the French Government's "Continuity" Policy

The French government expanded the "continuity subsidy" to a maximum of 575 euros, but it does not fully cover the price difference, and the eligibility criteria are strict. The total annual amount is capped at about 50 million euros.senat.fr



6. Comparison with Japan's Remote Island Routes

In Japan, remote island routes like the Ishigaki and Miyako lines also see round-trip fares exceeding 100,000 yen due to increased fuel surcharges. The national "remote island resident discount fare" offers 40-50% subsidies, but recent discussions on shrinking financial resources highlight challenges similar to those in Guadeloupe.



7. Global Perspective: IATA Statistics and the Deceleration of Passenger Demand in 2025

IATA revised the 2025 passenger growth rate down to 5.8%, citing "high fares + supply constraints" as factors suppressing demand. While total revenue for airlines is expected to surpass $1 trillion for the first time, profit margins are projected to remain in the 2% range.iata.orgiata.org



8. Solutions and Recommendations

8-1. Revising Tax Design

Unify environmental purpose taxes and remote island access subsidies, and make their use transparent. The proposed expansion of the "continuity fund" currently under discussion in the French Parliament serves as a reference.


8-2. Promotion of SAF and Incentives

Propose a green credit system where the government partially shoulders the introduction cost of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Gradual mandatory implementation based on the size of airlines to revitalize the market.


8-3. Diverse Transportation Integration and "Slow Travel"

Promote competition through a "Hybrid BRT (Blue-Rail-Transit)" combining cruise ships and aviation, and a decentralized network via relay hubs.


8-4. Substituting Mobility Demand with Digital Public Services

Expand telemedicine, telework, and online learning to establish a "social infrastructure that allows participation without travel." It is estimated that essential travel can be reduced by 20% through this approach.



9. Conclusion: Ensuring Fair Use of the Skies

The surge in airfare prices is not a "luxury travel tax" but an issue directly linked to the right to live. The structural challenges faced by Guadeloupe are common to remote islands and regional cities worldwide, including Japan. Policies that simultaneously achieve environmental load reduction and mobility fairness are key to supporting the skies in the post-pandemic era.



List of Reference Articles (External Links, Chronological Order)



The Surge in Airfare Prices Makes Travel Difficult
Source: https://www.guadeloupe.franceantilles.fr/actualite/economie/lenvolee-des-prix-des-billets-davion-complique-la-mobilite-1042310.php

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