UK government to relax its regulations on airline slots for 2022

Aerospace and Defense Review | Monday, February 08, 2021

The UK government would enable airlines to keep their airport slots if they fly 70 percent of flights during the summer of 2022 — a larger percentage than the EU requires

FREMONT, CA: The UK government would enable airlines to keep their airport slots if they fly 70 percent of flights during the summer of 2022 — a larger percentage than the EU requires. The UK announced on Monday, 24 January, that it will not return to the pre-Covid-19 regime of airlines having to use 80 percent of their slots or risk losing them, as required by the use it or lose it rules. During the summer timetable, which runs from late March to late October, the government said it wanted to prevent airlines from operating empty ghost flights to keep their slots.

The decision, according to ministers, represents a gradual restoration to regular slot rules while also providing assistance to airlines as they build up their schedules for 2022. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps stated that leaving the EU has allowed them to reclaim control of their airport slots rules, providing them greater flexibility to balance the demands of the fantastic aviation industry as it confronts the pandemic.  Today's extension is a step back toward the usual norms, allowing the travel industry to recover and thrive while still protecting it from future uncertainties. Due to the influence of Covid on air traffic demand, slot rules have been waived or decreased around the world in the last two years.

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In summer 2021, the UK repealed the slot criterion, replacing it with a 50 percent barrier for the current winter 2021-22 season. In December 2021, the European Union announced that, in order to keep historic slot rights, carriers must operate 64 percent of flights in summer 2022. Similarly, the EU rule is frequently set at 80 percent. The laws in the United Kingdom have also been relaxed to allow airlines to justify not running flights when a government imposes a Covid-related hotel quarantine.

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