Flights to Barcelona for just a few euros should be made impossible by the introduction of a minimum price for plane tickets, according to MPs from the ruling liberal democratic party D66

D66 wants to prevent airlines selling tickets at rock-bottom prices as air travel picks up again in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

It is very likely that airlines are going try to hold onto their routes, in order to keep their landing rights at Schiphol, D66 aviation spokesman Jan Paternotte said.

‘And to fill the planes they are going to slash prices, they will dump tickets well below cost price,’ he said. ‘Everyone understands that you can’t fly to Thessaloniki for €10 and a fair minimum price for flying would also boost train travel.’

Paternotte now wants infrastructure minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen to draw up the options for implementing the measure. The minimum cost of flying, including taxes and landing rights, would be around €34, he said.

GroenLinks has already said it supports a minimum ticket price, following the decision by Austria to bring in a €40 minimum as a condition for bailing out state airline Austrian Airlines. And according to broadcaster NOS, ChristenUnie also backs the plan.