The European Commission recently communicated on its intention to extend the slot usage waiver for the entire Winter 2020 season. It encourages the industry to voluntarily apply the conditions agreed between industry associations IATA, A4E, AIRE, ACI-Europe and EUACA.
This agreement is part of the recommended practice of the industry at the community level.
– The condition asking airlines to cancel their slots at least 3 weeks in advance before the scheduled date specifies the time already required by the EU2020/459 regulation setting up the waiver and that will be extended by a delegated act of the EU commission to the winter season. COHOR will therefore consider the slots cancelled by an airline as used for the historic determination only if this slot is cancelled at least 3 weeks in advance, or if an unforeseen event independent from the airline will happened and only if the airline formally asks for it with a justification.
– While a new revision of the regulation 95/93 including the rest of the industry best practices, COHOR asks the airlines to voluntary respect them. Also, COHOR remind that, according to article 14.6 b), the coordinator shall withdraw, after having questioned the airline, any series of slots which has not been operated at all as soon as at 20% of this series has not been used.
