The Odyssey company abandons its project for a flight between Nice and Nîmes. A decision motivated by an air ticket tax, but also by strong environmental opposition.
Planned for June 2025, the air link between Nice and Nîmes will ultimately not see the light of day. The Odyssey company announced the cancellation of this route even before its launch. The decision was justified by the economic impact of the solidarity tax on aviation tickets (TSBA).
In the pages of Midi Libre, Odyssey explains: “In view of the context of the TSBA, which has been in effect since March 1, 2025, the company does not want to take economic risks in the face of an impact from the tax that it does not completely control.”
This tax, adopted in February 2025, has increased the levy on economy class tickets for flights within France and Europe, rising from 2.63 euros to 7.30 euros.
Out of the seven routes announced by the company, only the link between Nîmes and Ajaccio is maintained.
A controversial route
Beyond financial aspects, the project had sparked strong opposition. Environmental representatives criticized this link as unnecessary from an environmental point of view. The two cities, being separated by less than 300 km, meant the flight was supposed to allow for a 58-minute journey. However, it is already possible to connect Nice and Nîmes in three hours by car or four hours by train.
Odyssey finally made a strategic choice. Its aircraft originally intended for Nîmes will be repositioned to Tours.
“In practice, this means that the Nîmes-Nice-Milan flight is replaced by a Tours-Nice-Milan flight, which responds to a much higher demand,” notes David Roman, co-founder of L’Odyssey.
Thus, from May 30, the company will offer flights between Nice, Tours, and Milan on Mondays and Fridays. A reorganization aimed at reducing economic risks while adapting to travelers’ needs.