The European Union's Council has adopted a suspension of airport slot rules through Oct. 24, freeing airlines from the requirement to risk losing slots if they do not use at least 80 percent of them. "It seems clear now that this crisis will not be over very soon," according to Council President Oleg Butković. "Waiving the 'use it or lose it' rule until October will help mitigate the heavy economic impact on airlines and give them certainty over the whole summer season."
The EU previously had suspended the requirements until June. The suspension could be extended should the Covid-19 crisis persist, and the EU will make that determination by Sept. 15.