EU extends 'ghost flight' slot rule for Covid-hit airlines

Brussels said on Monday it had extended rules aimed at avoiding "ghost flights" by carriers trying to keep airport slots as they struggle to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. "As the aviation industry begins to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 crisis, the European Commission remains determined to maintain the relaxation of ordinary slot allocation rules for airlines," a statement said. "The relief will therefore be extended to the next winter planning season, which runs from Oct 31, 2021 to March 27, 2022." The regulation lowers the requirement for airlines to fly at least 80% of the time to hold on to highly-prized take-off and landing slots at airports to 50%. The rules were relaxed last year with the aim of cutting down on the number of empty or near-empty "ghost flights" as airlines carried on flying despite steep drops in passenger numbers. Initially, Brussels gave the carriers a complete waiver for maintaining slots but then hiked the required quota of flights back up to 50% ahead of this year's summer season.<br/>