Airlines to get extended EU relief on us of airport slots

The European Union prolonged pandemic-induced regulatory relief for airlines, only partially reimposing a requirement that they use their airport slots when a 12-month waiver ends next month.

The bloc will make airlines take up at least 25% of their takeoff and landing positions during the summer season or risk losing them the following year, down from a normal 80% level. The new regime will run from March 28 through October, according to legislation approved Thursday.

The new law replaces the EU’s full suspension of the “use-it-or-lose-it” slot rule to help airlines as border closures and lockdown restrictions wiped out travel. Air traffic in Europe has tumbled over the past 11 months and was down more than 60% in January compared with a year earlier.