Windfall for carriers as Aeroflot slots are dished out

The take-off and landing slots have been allocated from next winter and will enable JetBlue to offer a double-daily New York flight and WestJet to offer budget services from Canada to the UK’s main hub.

Others to gain windfall slots worth millions of pounds include India’s Vistara Airlines plus Colombia’s Avianca and China Airlines. Virgin Atlantic also received a daily pair of slots, according to Edmond Rose, former chief executive of slot coordinator ACL.

Rose said the invasion of Ukraine had created “a lucky windfall” for the carriers. 

In an online post, he said: “The diversity of destinations they will serve is impressive, touching four continents. JetBlue and Vistara are particularly fortunate to be allocated prized slots for every day of the week. JetBlue’s morning arrivals are especially valuable for transatlantic operations.”

In May, transport secretary Grant Shapps banned Russian carriers from cashing in slots at UK airports worth up to £50 million. The ban also affects Aeroflot subsidiary Rossiya Airlines and Ural Airlines, which also operated to the UK before the invasion.

Following the reallocation, Vistara, a joint venture between India’s Tata group and Singapore Airlines, and which began flying to Heathrow during the pandemic, has gained a permanent daily slot pair, as have Virgin and JetBlue. Avianca and China Airlines have benefited from four slots a week and WestJet three.