FAA waives minimum slot requirements at US airports
The FAA has permitted airports to waive the ‘use it or lose it’ rule for slots as fear of the coronavirus decimates travel demand across the country.
It means airlines won’t be forced to fly half-full or even empty ‘ghost’ flights just to keep up their slot usage to the 80% minimum at highly capacity controlled airports.
The FAA waiver applies at New York JFK, New York LaGuardia, and Ronald Reagan Washington National airport.
Slot usage waivers will also apply at Chicago, Newark, Los Angeles and San Francisco when they are approved.
The agency says it also applies to foreign airlines and hopes it will aid US airlines at overseas airports they serve.
"The FAA is waiving the 80% requirement through May 31, 2020 for US and foreign airlines that have affected flights. In doing so, the FAA expects that US carriers will be accommodated with reciprocal relief by foreign authorities at airports in their countries,"
The move came a day after Europe decided to suspend slot usage rules.
The World Health Organisation has now declared the outbreak a global pandemic, and has now recorded more than 118,000 cases worldwide.
The US also passed an unwanted milestone with more than 1,000 cases.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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