The airport association ACI Europe supports the European Commission's proposal to set a slot usage threshold of 50 percent.

“The decision of the commission is a first and decisive step to the reintroduction of the slot usage rules, as the air traffic starts to recover”, said the association. While vaccinations would continue to advance worldwide, the more coordinated measures to facilitate the movement of people through the EU's digital Covid certificate would also help gradually stabilize and better predict traffic volume, it said. In the summer of 2022, the association advises returning to the normal 80/20 rule.

While the proposal seems to be well received by the airports, the airlines are not saying a good word about it. The international airline association Iata described the decision as unrealistic. "Once again the Commission is proving that it has lost touch with reality," said Iata Director General Willie Walsh. Airlines would only be forced to empty flights. According to estimates, no pre-crisis level is in sight by the end of the year - on the contrary. There will only be 34 percent international flights worldwide, as reported by airliners.de.