The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently welcomed the European Union's (EU) slot rules for the northern hemisphere's summer 2022 season.
In a statement, IATA thanked the European Commission for providing confirmation of the slot rules for next summer in good time — "resisting calls to fully switch the pre-pandemic slot rules back on."
"The extended slot alleviation provides certainty of the rules when the demand environment remains unpredictable, allowing airlines to build sustainable schedules that respond to demand," said Wille Walsh, IATA Director General.
"IATA particularly appreciated the Commission's openness to discuss technical aspects of the proposal, which led to the choice of a slot use threshold that can be practicably implemented by airlines in terms of schedules and slot planning."
Walsh signalled hope that governments restore travel rules that allow for the industry to return to growth again.
"Until demand growth stabilizes, it is essential slot rules are restored gradually and continue to maintain provisions for reasonable exceptions when conditions change — such as a rapid clamp down on travel with the emergence of a new variant like Omicron," Walsh said. "Only with sustainable and predictable global travel rules can connectivity recover and remove the need for slot alleviation."
The IATA chief noted how the airport slots system has been the backbone of building global air connectivity which before Covid-19 was serving 4.5 billion passengers across a route network that over 20 years had doubled while fares had halved in price.
"This success can be rebuilt if regulators treat the system with care," Walsh added.
EU slot rules for summer 2022
Earlier in December, the European Commission adopted an extension to the slot relief rules of the 2022 summer scheduling season, running from March 28, 2022 until October 29, 2022.
It said instead of the normal requirement to use at least 80% of a given slot series, airlines will only have to use 64% to retain historic rights in those slots during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
It said while air traffic has not yet fully recovered to 2019 levels, it reached levels above 70% in the second half of the summer 2021 scheduling season.
Eurocontrol's most likely traffic forecast estimates that annual air traffic in 2022 will be 89% of 2019 levels.
"The new use rate will ensure the efficient use of airport capacity while benefiting consumers. The 'justified non-use of slots' exception, protecting airlines' historic rights to slots when state-imposed Covid-19-related measures severely impede passengers' ability to travel, will also be extended," the EU said in a statement.
EU Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean noted that the progress in vaccination campaigns and the EU Digital Covid-19-19 Certificate have helped to restore traveller confidence and air connectivity in the EU, putting the industry in a stronger position to deal with short-term shocks.
"Even if we are not there yet, we can take a step further towards the return to normal airport slot management next summer. The decision we adopt today is a sign of that, as we increase the requirements for slot use," Vălean added.
"I know the aviation sector is concerned about the new Omicron variant and the recent drop in airline bookings. We are monitoring the situation closely. The Commission has demonstrated throughout the COVID-19 crisis its willingness and ability to act swiftly where needed, and this will remain the case in the coming months," the EU Commissioner added.
