European Parliament Extends Slot Relief Through Summer 2021

As the COVID-19 epidemic continues to have a detrimental impact on European airlines, the European Parliament approved extending less stringent requirements for usage of take-off and landing slots.

Starting on March 28, airlines will be able to use half of their take-off and landing slots for the 2021 summer season. Prior to the pandemic, airlines were forced to use 80 per cent of their available slots if they wanted to keep them the following season.

“Now that the slot utilization rules have been updated, airlines only have to use 50% of their planned take-off and landing slots for the 2021 summer season,” the EP stated.

The European Parliament suspended the so-called “use it or lose it” rule from March 2020 until March 27, 2021. The suspension was intended to prevent airlines from conducting empty flights (also known as ghost flights) during the epidemic in order to keep their scheduled take-off and landing slots for the next season.

Airlines for Europe (A4E), the largest EU airline organization, praised airport slot relief measures on February 11, 2021, noting that “the approved proposal will assist in minimizing the economic impact of the crisis on European airlines, preserving future connectivity for EU citizens.”

However, A4E warned that its member Ryanair does not share this viewpoint and has yet to issue its own statement, implying that the airline may have a different opinion about the EU-approved airport slot relief.