ACI EUROPE has today responded to IATA’s premature call to extend the current waiver from the 80-20 use-it-or-lose-it rule for airport slots into the winter season, warning of potential negative consequences on air connectivity and economic recovery.
Airlines claim they need the airport slot waiver to be extended into the winter season so as to get additional operational flexibility to plan their schedules in the recovery. But that additional operational flexibility comes at a high cost to airports as it allows airlines to declare full schedules, hold on to the requested slots and cancel their flights close to their date of operation – thus leaving airports with the operational costs involved and no revenues to cover them...more
