A draft by the EU Commission would rule out a renewed extension of the slot exception rule beyond March 2021. Instead, they are working on slowly stimulating competition again.

In the course of this, a new rule is to come into force, which provides for at least a 40 percent utilization of the slots. "The proposed rules offer a certain degree of security for the summer season 2021 and ensure that the Commission can decide on further simplifying slots according to clear rules," said EU Transport Commissioner Adina Valean. The proposal has yet to be approved by the EU Parliament and the 27 member states of the EU.

This would even put the EU under the IATA recommendation. The umbrella organization recommended a 50 percent limit in order to avoid a penalty and the loss of slots, like the aviation portal Aero reported. Only from the summer flight schedule of 2022 should the airlines return to the normal slot rule. At least 80 percent of an assigned slot at an airport must actually be used for flights, otherwise the slot will be withdrawn. Currently, airline managers don't have to worry about losing their airport slot if they don't use it to the full due to the lack of demand. Because the exception rule still applies.