Stewart Wingate, the chief executive of London's Gatwick airport, has commented to media that it is essential for UK and European regulators to reinstate rules that force airlines to use or lose their take-off and landing slots. The 80/20 rule was suspended for a further six months in September, but airlines are calling for a further extension.
“It is vital that the industry reverts back to using the 80/20 slot rule for the start of the summer season,” said Wingate. This would “ensure that the aviation market is competitive and airlines are incentivised to trade or hand back unused slots so that other airlines can fly them instead, including new market entrants”.
Airlines UK describes the waiver as “absolutely necessary” to allows airlines to adjust capacity to fit passenger demand as well as ensuring empty flights are not flown contributing to carbon emissions unnecessarily.