EU komt luchtvaartmaatschappijen tegemoet (en)

Airline companies hit by the economic slowdown will benefit from relaxed rules on the allocation of airport slots, allowing them not to lose unused slots, MEP is agree in Strasbourg today when they adopted a legislative report with 508 votes in favour , 20 against and 7 abstentions.

Air carriers will be entitled to the same series of slots during the summer 2010 scheduling season as were allocated to them during the summer 2009 season, even if they use them less than 80% of the time this year, according to the draft Regulation revising rules laid out by the EU in 1993 (Regulation EEC No 95/93.)

The revised rules were proposed by the Commission i in March as an urgent measure to prevent airline companies from suffering the consequences in 2010 of their under-use of slots in 2009. The "urgent adoption procedure" was used and, following today's positive vote in plenary, the rules are now ready to be implemented.

Traffic slowdown

The global economic crisis led to a significant reduction in air traffic over the winter 2008/09 scheduling season. More than 80% of European airports have seen a reduction in traffic since the beginning of the year and the summer season is expected to confirm this negative trend, with Eurocontrol i forecasting a 4.9% fall in the number of flights.

Future revisions of the rules

MEPs approve the Commission's proposal for the 2009 season, but refused to allow use of the "comitology" procedure - which would delegate decisions to the Commission without requiring new co-decision legislation - for future revisions of the rules.

MEPs agree that should the economic situation of airlines continue to deteriorate during the winter 2009/10 season, the Commission may propose to renew the arrangements for the winter 2010/2011 season. The proposal would have to be preceded by a full impact assessment analysing the possible effects on competition and consumers and should be made only if it forms part of a proposal for a general revision of the framework Regulation. Parliament would then be called upon again to amend and adopt the revised Regulation.

Airline slots are allocated to companies each season (in November for the following summer season and in June for the following winter season) at the IATA (International Air Transport Association) scheduling conferences. They grant airports the right to schedule a landing or departure during a specific time period.