Carriers have been struggling with slots issues at various airports. Credit: Photo by Josue Isai Ramos Figueroa on Unsplash.

Global carriers’ grouping International Air Transport Association has said governments need to take a harmonised approach in allocating airport slots according to the principles of certainty, transparency and flexibility.

At the 75th annual general meeting held yesterday in South Korea, IATA passed a resolution on this issue.

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IATA has been exploring ways to address the slot problems and capacity constraints faced by airlines.

Carriers have been struggling with slots issues at various airports.

More than 200 airports across the world are Level-3 slot coordinated, implying that they do not have enough capacity to meet the current demand.

This is expected to expand grow substantially over the coming decades given that airport construction is not keeping pace with growing demand for aircraft movements.

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Therefore, globally applied rules for the use of available capacity at constrained airports will be an important aspect.

The resolution endorsed a statement of objectives for the WSG, which consists of facilitating consumer choice and improved global connectivity, providing convenient schedules that meet consumer demand, allocating slots in a transparent non-discriminatory way by an independent slot coordinator, and realising the complete capacity potential of airport infrastructure, through regular capacity reviews.

IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said: “The Worldwide Slot Guidelines have successfully allocated increasingly scarce airport capacity in ways, which have enormously helped consumers.

“Governments need to act today to avoid a crisis of vital connectivity as demand grows.”

“Passengers, businesses and airlines are benefitting from consistent and reliable schedules. Choice, moreover, is increasing year-on-year. In Europe, which is home to more than half of all the slot-constrained airports, low-cost carrier (LCC) market penetration has risen to 40% over the last decade.”

The resolution also stated that the WSG is not a replacement for the provision of more airport capacity.

Alexandre de Juniac added: “Globally harmonised slot rules make the best use of the infrastructure we have. But they cannot create capacity when the physical infrastructure – runways and terminals – is insufficient. Governments need to act today to avoid a crisis of vital connectivity as demand grows.”