Airlines are locked in a battle over landing slots for this summer.
Before the pandemic, airlines had to use their takeoff and landing slots for 80 per cent of each flying season or forfeit them under the so-called ‘use it or lose it rule’.
Most carriers, including British Airways, easyJet and Norwegian, want the rule changed from April so airlines only have to use their pairs of slots for 50 per cent of the summer flying season, when passenger demand is expected to remain low.
Battle: Before the pandemic, airlines had to use their takeoff and landing slots for 80 per cent of each flying season or forfeit them
In proposals submitted to the Department for Transport, they have also asked to be able to give up any slots they cannot use this summer with the guarantee they can have the slots back in summer 2022 as demand picks up.
They say this will help them recover from the pandemic and protect jobs and global connections.
But Ryanair and Wizz Air accuse rivals of ‘slot-blocking’ and say low-fare airlines are unable to expand as legacy carriers reduce capacity and raise prices.
Wizz Air is lobbying the Government to make airlines use their short-haul slots full-time, with ‘some alleviation’ for long-haul.
