EU prolongs regulatory relief for airlines as travel demand falls

The European Union has announced that it will prolong pandemic-induced regulatory relief for airlines as border closures and lockdown restrictions wipe out air travel.

As part of this relief policy, the EU will only partially re-impose the requirement of airlines using their airport slots after the 12-month waiver ends next month.

Airlines will be required to use a minimum 25 percent of their takeoff and landing positions during the summer season or risk losing them the following year, according to Bloomberg.

As the requirement for airlines maintaining 80 percent of their airport positions lapses next month, the new regime will come in to effect from the 28th of March and will be valid till the month of October.

While air travel in Europe has declined by more than 60 percent in January as compared to last year, this new law will support airlines, who are facing a shortage of demand due to border closures and lockdown restrictions.

However, as airlines predict that the situation will improve in 2021 once vaccination picks up more pace, EU will have the power to change the set threshold between 30% and 70% for the subsequent seasons.