Legal aspects of airport slot allocation: a challenge for the European Union

Abstract

With the increase in the number of operations performed at airports in European Union countries, the problem of allocation of airport slots is becoming more apparent. Legal regulations in this respect were adopted over two decades ago, which means that they are not suitable for the contemporary reality of commercial aviation, which has undergone a huge change during the indicated period. This article aims to analyze the current legal framework for the allocation of slots at the level of international law, with particular emphasis on the European Union law. The main reasons affecting the urgent need to amend the provisions in the presented scope will be discussed. These issues include, for example, the problem of slot trading between air carriers. Also, the impact of the EU response to COVID-19 epidemic on the air carrier’s situation in relation to slots will be outlined. Selected examples illustrating difficulties in applying EU rules will also be analyzed in detail. The summary will be followed by an indication of key de lege ferenda postulates in the discussed area.