No viable reason for so-called ‘ghost flights’

ACI EUROPE has set the record straight on the issue of so-called ‘ghost flights’ amidst the media brouhaha. Expressing dismay at the escalating industry and political rhetoric, ACI EUROPE came out in strong support for the European Commission’s position on the thresholds for use of airport slots by airlines.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, said: ““A few airlines are claiming they are forced to run high volumes of empty flights in order to retain airport slot usage rights. There is absolutely no reason why this should be the reality. As has been clearly stated by the European Commission, slot usage rules need to achieve two things in the current circumstances. Firstly, to protect airlines from the worst of unpredictabilities which are out of all our hands. Secondly, and crucially, to also ensure that airport capacity is still used in a pro-competitive way.””

Crucially, and as a direct result of the ongoing uncertainties posed by the pandemic, there is also in place a specific provision for what the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines calls “Justified Non-Use of Slots” (JNUS). This provision is specifically designed to address the COVID pandemic, and covers not only outright travel bans, but also restrictions of movement, quarantine or isolation measures which impact the viability or possibility of travel or the demand for travel on specific routes.

It is therefore the case that, with a significantly reduced slot usage threshold and a specific provision for changing circumstances such as that presented by the Omicron variant, airlines are very well protected from the current uncertainties.

Find out more in our Press Release.