India seeks equal access to slots at European airports

India is pushing aviation watchdog International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to frame regulations for providing equitable access to slots at key airports in Europe. These airports have framed slot allocation practices that are discriminatory and disadvantage airlines from developing countries, according to a working paper presented by India to ICAO.

Airport slot is a permission granted to an airline by an airport operator for an aircraft takeoff and landing within a set timeframe.

India's working paper, which will be debated at ICAO's triennial assembly at Montreal in September, the current system of grandfather rights, which allows an incumbent airline to keep a slot in perpetuity, while enforcing additional measures like night curfew, restricts market access and denying equal opportunity for airlines from developing countries like India to expand into large European markets.

"The assembly's action on these matters is essential for preserving the integrity of the international civil aviation system and ensuring that all states can realise the benefits of their participation in international air services," read the working paper, reviewed by ET. At congested airports like London Heathrow, Amsterdam, and Paris, slots are allocated one each for the summer and winter schedule, per guidelines set by International Air Transport Association, which would allow airlines to hold a slot if they use it 80% of time each season.

"This often means that carriers from large source markets like India are unable to deploy new capacity at commercially viable timings, while countries operating such hubs continue to seek increased access to the Indian market without offering reciprocal benefits," the working paper states. The Indian government decision to raise the issue at an international level comes as homegrown carriers like IndiGo and Air India chart aggressive overseas expansion plans.

IndiGo flights to Amsterdam are facing uncertainty as its request for slots for winter is yet to be approved, since Dutch government is preparing to impose a cap on flight movements to curb noise pollution.

"While developing economies such as India are investing heavily in expansion of airport infrastructure, creating opportunities for all carriers, developed economies, like Amsterdam, are actively reducing existing capacity creating an unequal playing field that inherently favours legacy carriers from developed nations," India noted in the working paper. This, the government said, prevents Indian carriers from fully utilising international flying rights which are allocated on a bilateral reciprocal basis by governments to respective airlines.

"As a case, despite comprehensive bilateral agreement between India and the UK Indian carriers' access has been reduced to secondary airports in London like Gatwick and Stansted Airports while UK carriers maintain access to Heathrow," the paper said.

At London Heathrow, while a new agreement in 2023, allowed airlines from both countries to increase flights from 56 to 70 per week, Air India operates 31 weekly flights to the airport and is forced to operate new flights only from the Gatwick airport. IndiGo is likely to lease a slot from a UK airline at premium price.

Airports Coordination, agency tasked with allocating slots at Heathrow, told ET since the airport has reached its full capacity, airlines will have to wait for other airlines to lose their historic rights or to purchase and lease slots. "Access to slots is independent of bilateral entitlements," a spokesperson said.