easyjet wins Gatwick slot battle

[LTN man]

EasyJet has welcomed the European Commission's decision to open up airport
take-off and landing slots for bidding.
Europe's big airlines had hoped that they would be able to waive the 'use it
or lose it' rule which forces an airline to hand-over slots if they are not
used.

Under the EU ruling, slots will only be protected until the end of this
month, before being opened up for bidding.
Any slots remaining unused, or operating as less than 80% capacity, will be
open for bidding from October 26.
Low-cost carriers such as easyJet will be able to bid for highly-prized
slots for Winter 2002.

EasyJet chief executive Ray Webster says: "The European Commission created
he framework to allow competition in the form of the low-cost airlines,
such as easyJet, to flourish. "Today it has demonstrated that it is not
prepared to ditch 15 years of hard work and return us to a world dominated
by expensive national airlines."

British Airways currently holds 40% of the slots at London Gatwick Airport.

*Transport sector story sent by Ananova

[ 10 October 2001: Message edited by: LTN man ]

[squawk 6789]

Surely if you lodge a successful bid for the slot you own it and, as such can do- or not do- what you want wit it?

[Semaphore Sam]

Surely the reason the 'slot' system was initiated was to eliminate the chaos of too many departures/arrivals at 'optimum' times; the limits of capacity rules. If, for whatever reason, a carrier doesn't use a slot, that's capacity unused, which defeats the system. Surely, only political pull (or something similar) would allow limited capacity to go unused for long; if 1 carrier can't profitibly utilize a slot for an extended time, another must be allowed in.
Otherwise the industry would stagnate.

[GEENY]

I read it differently in today's FT(11 Oct).

[OLNEY 1 BRAVO]

I'm confused!

I too have seen the statement on the easyJet Website welcoming the EC's stance on slots but like GEENY, my reading of the FT and from what I've heard/seen on Radio and TV seems to tell a different story in that airlines holdings slots don't have to give them up for the time being! :confused: :confused:

[sdac]

There is actually a moratorium on slot changes. I think it runs through to next summer at least, by which time there might be more stability....lets hope anyway.