The European Parliament voted on Thursday for a regulation that the airlines in the Union area should keep their slots in the summer flight schedule 2021 even if they do not use them constantly. However, at least 25 percent of the take-off and landing rights must actually be used.

Normally, the rule applies that at least 80 percent of the slots must be used, otherwise they are returned to the regulator for reallocation. Specifically, it is now stipulated that a quarter of the take-off and landing rights that were held before the corona pandemic must be used.

Complete protection applies up to and including March 27, 2021. This means that due to the pandemic, all slots - even if they are not used at all - cannot expire. With the new regulation, the European Parliament wants to slowly but surely apply the old principle of “use it or lose it” again.

However, there is also a loophole for the airlines: shortly before the start of the summer flight schedule, they can temporarily give back those take-off and landing rights that they will probably not need. Of those that are kept, only half need to be used. The provisional return does not yet result in a loss. For the industry association Airlines for Europe, the regulation does not go far enough. It is demanded that the slot rules remain suspended in summer 2021.