Airports, LCCs Oppose EU Slot Plan

By Martial Tardy

European airports and low-cost carriers oppose the European Commission’s plan to let airlines hold on to unused airport slots throughout the recession.

The measure would “only worsen the impact of the crisis on airports and prevent them from planning and using their capacity in the most efficient way,” claims ACI Europe, the European airport trade association.

EasyJet, a U.K.-based low-cost carrier, slams the commission’s intention to freeze the EU’s “use it or lose it” rule for slot allocation as “protectionist.”

This would “allow inefficient, poorly run airlines to hoard valuable airport landing slots rather than allowing unused slots to be returned to the many European airlines that are ready, willing and able to operate them,” said Andy Harrison, easyJet chief executive. “We call on the European Parliament and EU member states to reject a piece of legislation that has been written by the Association of European Airlines,” Harrison added.

The AEA, in turn, welcomed the commission’s proposal. “In today’s depressed market, the schedules planned many months ago are no longer in line with demand. Airlines need to trim this overcapacity but cannot afford to lose the slots,” explained AEA Secretary General Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus.

Pending market developments later this year, the commission said it would consider extending the temporary scrapping of the EU’s “use or lose” rule into the winter 2009/2010 scheduling season.

Photo: Fraport