The UK government will reintroduce business as usual slot rules for airlines for the upcoming summer travel season. However, airlines will still be able to hand back 5% of their slots to help minimise last-minute cancellations.
This follows the European Parliament’s approval in October of the gradual return of the ‘use it or lose it’ rules on the allocation of slots at EU airports.
“We’re also seeing consistently busier airports and fuller flights, with passenger levels now at 85% of pre-pandemic levels. And where the industry struggled to meet this increased demand last year, the government stepped in, working to rebuild resilience,” says Mark Harper, Secretary of State for Transport in the UK.
Where UK airports saw a 99% drop in passenger numbers at the height of the pandemic, the sector faced a fall in passenger revenue of over £250 billion (R5,37 trillion) in 2021.
To modernise aviation as the UK continues to move past the global pandemic, the CAA has also launched an upgraded version of its Aviation Modernisation Strategy with the Department for Transport. The vision is to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys and more capacity for the benefit of those who use and are affected by UK airspace.
“That plan is wholeheartedly backed by the government and we’ve provided £9,2m (R198,7bn) in funding to support airports throughout this change,” Harper adds.
Industry body Airlines UK has released a statement agreeing that, as passenger demand returns, the slot rules must follow suit.
“Global recovery is still bumpy though, and we’re not yet fully back to normal, so we welcome the additional flexibility around the justified non-use of slots so airlines aren’t punished by travel restrictions where and when these may be imposed,” said the airline body.
