Proposals to reform Europe's slot allocation process put forward last year by the European Commission (EC) have cleared their first hurdle, being passed by the European Parliament. Next they must go in front of Europe's transport ministers.
The Parliament's decision has already been welcomed by the region's airports. "They produced a good report," says John Hume, director of policy at ACI Europe. He notes that the report has tidied up some of the gaps left by the EC.
Although the EC reforms largely stay clear of controversial areas such as slot trading, the proposals did spark off a row over the thorny issue of ownership. The EC attempted to clarify the legal status of a slot as a "a right of usage" rather than of ownership, angering airlines and airports who argue that this issue should be left for a later date.
The Parliament added an amendment that makes allowances for "unforeseeable" circumstances, which include not just events such as 11 September, but also insolvency of a partner. This potentially opens the way for carriers such as Air Lib, which was born out of the collapse of AOM/Air Liberte after the bankruptcy of Swissair, to hold on to unused slots for the next season. Another amendment allows states to restrict slot entitlement on environmental grounds.
The proposals missed out on the June meeting of transport ministers, and may possibly have to wait until October or even next year before they go before the Council, as the Danish presidency, covering the July-December period, is likely to be dominated by the "Single Skies" reform of European airspace.
Source: Airline Business
