UK airlines will hold on to airport slots without having to use them

UK carriers including BA, easyJet and Virgin Atlantic will hang on to lucrative take-off and landing slots without having to use them this summer after ministers extended waivers to controversial airport rules. Airlines have parked their fleets during the crippling disruption caused by the pandemic, prompting the suspension of rules forcing airlines to “use or lose” their slots 80% of the time. The suspension since the pandemic started has been criticised by rival airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air, which argue the waivers are anti-competitive and hope to profit from the disruption in the industry. The decision is also a blow to London’s Gatwick airport, which has seen many of its biggest airlines switch their remaining operations to Heathrow, and was pushing for airlines to be forced to use their slots. The DoT will extend the waiver, which was due to be lifted in the spring, through the summer season, Airport Coordination Limited said on Friday. The decision illustrates that ministers are expecting another difficult summer for the European airline industry as travel curbs widen. Take-off and landing rights are among airlines’ most valuable assets and can be traded for tens of millions of pounds. “The risk for the UK is that a blanket waiver . . . may discourage airlines who are prepared to restart operations from investing in the UK market,” said Chris Butler, an analyst at ACL, which coordinates slot distribution. Airlines may decide there are better opportunities for growth through gaining slot rights elsewhere in Europe, he added.<br/>