The European Council of Transport Minsters has today approved rule changes that could allow airlines to buy and sell takeoff and landing slots at congested European airports.
EU transport ministers said the proposed changes would ensure that slots "are allocated to those carriers able to make the best economic use of them, thus providing for optimum allocation and use of capacity."
Take-off and landing slots are almost a currency for airlines seeking to expand, with tie-ups often justified in the access they may give to specific airports and routes.
Under the proposal, airlines would be "allowed to sell and buy slots (secondary trading)" while the Single European Sky (SES) network manager would be involved so that the impact of any changes can be accounted for across the whole system, a statement said.
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