DfT: Airport slot allocation system reform
The Department for Transport are seeking views on the government’s proposals for reform to the airport slot allocation system in the UK.
This consultation seeks views on the proposals for reform that will apply to slot allocation at Level 3 slot coordinated airports. Level 3 airports in the UK are:
London Heathrow
London Gatwick
London City
London Stansted
London Luton
Manchester
Birmingham
Bristol
Leeds Bradford airport has been approved by the Secretary of State to be designated as a Level 3 airport for the summer season in the night-time only from summer 2024.
Proposals laid out in the consultation will apply to slots held by both passenger and cargo-only flights at these airports. These reform proposals will set out how the slot system will be:
more efficient, dynamic and transparent
well-prepared for the allocation of new slots
The reform proposals are not related to – and without prejudice to – the consideration of existing or future airport expansion applications by local planning authorities or ministers.
Slot coordination cannot increase an airport’s capacity. It is the administrative process that makes use of an airport’s existing capacity. It is also a planning tool that helps ensure the operations of an airport remain within set capacity limits and environmental obligations – including night flight and noise limits.
This consultation is published alongside the Slot allocation at Heathrow: runway expansion research and the Slot allocation at an expanded Heathrow: alternative mechanism experiment reports.
Published: 4th December 2023
This consultation closed: 9 February 2024