Brussels: Reacting to the statement released today by IATA and a number of regional airline associations which called for a global alignment of slot regulations by strictly abiding only to the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines (WASG), ACI EUROPE reiterated its call for urgent reform of airport slot rules in Europe.
 
The WASG have been the foundation for airport slot allocation rules the world over, and have served as a useful tool in this regard. While they have evolved both in substance and governance, they need to further reflect the reality of today’s European aviation market and to adequately balance the needs of all interested stakeholders – in particular airports and their communities.
 
Working closely with ACI World and the other ACI Regions¹, ACI EUROPE remains firmly in support of the principle of the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines and committed to their further improvement. However, with progress being slow at best, airport congestion becoming problematic² and airline consolidation gathering pace, it is urgent that airport slot regulations in Europe are reformed.
 
Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE commented: “Portraying the WASG as they currently stand as the unsung hero of the air transport system as IATA does is largely about protecting a status quo that benefits some but does little to ensure the integrity and competitiveness of our Single European aviation market. Key issues for reform are rules and practices that end up preventing consumer choice and connectivity. These include the hoarding of airport slots, overbidding, slot leasing, secondary trading, abuse of new entrant status and ‘double dipping’.”