Vil øke alkoholkvoten hvis du dropper tobakk

In a move that could boost Avinor's finances, the Senterpartiet is proposing to reintroduce a rule allowing passengers to swap their tobacco allowance for extra alcohol when returning to Norway. This proposal, outlined by Geir Inge Lien, a deputy representative for Senterpartiet in the Storting, would see passengers able to replace their tobacco quota with 1.5 liters of alcohol or vin, an increase from the current maximum of 1 liter.

If passed, this could generate 140-175 million kroner in additional revenue for Avinor, the state-owned company responsible for managing most Norwegian airports. The proposal comes as part of the party's alternative state budget, ahead of budget talks with the Labour-led government and other opposition parties. Previously, the Senterpartiet, along with the Labour and other parties, introduced a rule in 2014 that allowed passengers to trade their tobacco allowance for extra alcohol.

This change was made during the Solberg government's time in power with the help of the Labour and Liberal parties. However, the ability to exchange tobacco for alcohol was removed in 2022, when the Senterpartiet was part of the government along with the Labour and Liberal parties. The proposal to reintroduce this rule has been supported by both the Labour and Liberal parties in recent years, arguing that it would increase Avinor's income.

Passenger alcohol sales at airports are a significant source of income for Avinor, with revenues from the company's tax-free operations (around 4.7 billion kroner in 2025) making up nearly 20% of the company's total revenue. Recent years have seen Avinor facing financial challenges, with lower revenues and fewer passengers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The solution so far has been a combination of cost cuts and higher airport fees for airlines to offset the lost income. The aviation industry itself has noted that higher fees could lead to higher ticket prices.