Government to reintroduce 80:20 airport slot rule this summer
James ChappleThe government will reintroduce the 80:20 airport slot usage rule this summer, although some flexibility will be retained to guard against airlines operating so-called "ghost flights" to retain their slots.
The rules were relaxed during the pandemic when air travel was heavily depressed; however, from 26 March, usage rules will return to pre-pandemic levels after UK passenger numbers recovered to 85% of equivalent 2019 levels in October.
Transport secretary Mark Harper is due to formally announce the measures during a keynote speech at the Air Operators’ Association’s annual conference on Tuesday (31 January).
The 80:20 rule means airlines need to use their take-off slots at least 80% of the time in order to retain them. A "justified non-use provision" will be retained to prevent airlines flying ghost flights.
The government said the decision to reintroduce 80:20 marked "a return to business as usual" for the UK’s aviation sector this summer, and was a "vote of confidence" in the aviation sector as demand returns.
Airlines will also be able to hand back up to 5% of their slots before the start of the summer season "to help plan realistic schedules and avoid last-minute cancellations".
"The government remains focused on reducing disruption and ensuring a positive passenger experience for those taking a well-earned break this summer," said the Department for Transport.
Harper is expected to tell AOA delegates the decision, which the DfT said followed a period of consultation with the industry on how it can best support its recovery, marked the start of a "new, more optimistic conversation about the future".
In his speech, Harper will pledge to end "outdated" industry practices and to instead modernise its infrastructure and operations in an effort to bury aviation’s image as "the poster child for environmental decline".
Other focuses will include sustainable flight, diversity, and attracting new talent from a wider range of backgrounds, harnessing "a golden opportunity" to transition from recovery to renewal.
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