The European Parliament approved a revamp of the EU's “use it or lose it” waiver for airport slot rules on Thursday (11 February), a measure first introduced in March 2020 to stop pandemic-hit airlines from flying almost empty planes to maintain access to ports.
The UK has extended the temporary waiver on airport slot rules through the northern summer 2021 season, slot co-ordination company Airport Coordination Limited (ACL) has confirmed.
The regulations, which dictate that airlines lose a slot if it is not used 80% of the time, were suspended for the summer 2020 season as the COVID-19 crisis deepened. They were later extended to cover the current winter timetable.
In a statement, ACL said: “The UK’s Secretary of State for Transport has announced that the UK will extend the waiver from the 80:20 slot usage rule to the summer 2021 season, subject to certain conditions.”
Among the conditions are that slots must be returned three weeks or more in advance of the planned operation for alleviation to be granted. However, this only applies to existing slots as newly allocated slots are excluded from the waiver.
23 December 2020
oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance have called for governments to implement recommendations for slot relief measures for northern summer 2021.
The call was issued by the Worldwide Airport Slot Board (WASB), comprising Airports Council International (ACI World), IATA, and the Worldwide Airport Coordinators Group (WWACG).
As the pandemic continues to impact air travel, the three global alliances believe the proposals deliver a balanced, global approach to preserve international connectivity, maintain consumer choice and aid future industry recovery.
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However, critics argue the measures are anti-competitive, allowing financially weaker airlines to maintain an otherwise unsustainable position.
The alliances support WASB’s three core recommendations that take into account the differing impact on airlines and varying airport business models.
Worldwide Airport Coordinators Group. As the pandemic continues to impact air travel, the three global alliances stated they believe WASB s proposals deliver a balanced, global approach to preserve international connectivity, maintain consumer choice and aid future industry recovery. The alliances urged governments to enact WASB s three core recommendations by the end of 2020, including:
A lower use-it-or-lose-it threshold: Allowing airlines to use 50% of slots, versus the current 80%. This gives them flexibility to right-size schedules, helping their finances – and the environment – by not operating at greater capacity when demand is lower;
Alleviation for the return of a full series of slots: Giving incumbent airlines the right to operate slots in summer 2022, while allowing new carriers access for summer 2021. This maintains connectivity for customers wanting to fly between city pairs, offering greater consumer choice. Airlines that return a full series of slots by early Feb
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oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance support Worldwide Airport Slot Board recommendations to aid industry recovery
oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance support calls for governments to implement recommendations for slot relief measures for Northern Summer 2021 issued by the Worldwide Airport Slot Board (WASB), comprising Airports Council International (ACI World), IATA, and the Worldwide Airport Coordinators Group (WWACG). As the pandemic continues to impact air travel, the three global alliances believe WASB’s proposals deliver a balanced, global approach to preserve international connectivity, maintain consumer choice and aid future industry recovery.
The alliances support WASB’s three core recommendations that take into account the differing impact on airlines and varying airport business models. oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance urge governments to enact these recommendations by the end of 2020, including: