WEBINAR

Airport Slots in a Pandemic Era – Time for a Rethink?

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Date & Time: 29 Apr 2021 | 10:00 AM UTC
Duration: 1 hour
Language: English

Thomas Van Der Wijngaart,Peter Coles,Jorn Wegter,Lara Maughan, and Lara Maughan

United Kingdom

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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the aviation industry, with a significant reduction in airline and airport operations. As the pandemic has progressed, tried and tested slot allocation mechanisms have quickly come under strain. In particular, the widespread adoption of the 'use it or lose it' / '80/20' rule, which guarantees re-allocation of slots subject to meeting utilisation thresholds, has resulted in a global web of slot waivers being introduced, sometimes on quite different terms. Key questions remain as to how long such measures should remain in place, and whether such waivers (and other relief) assist or hinder the maintenance of a competitive aviation environment. The thorny issue of slot trading and different levels of tolerance for such practices across the globe, as well as wider market access questions, also remain issues that divide opinion. As we start to emerge from the current crisis, is it time for a re-think on slot allocation in a post-pandemic world?

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Speakers

Thomas Van Der Wijngaart

Tom is an English-qualified solicitor and Partner in Clyde & Co's aviation group. He has a well-developed practice covering both non-contentious and contentious aviation work, with a particular expertise in regulatory and commercial issues including airline licensing, ownership and control issues, traffic rights and aviation consumer law. He has considerable experience in airport slot trading, including having acted for British Airways in its purchase of Monarch’s entire Gatwick slot portfolio following the latter's entry into administration.

Tom additionally represents various airlines, MROs and other aviation stakeholders in a range of multi-jurisdictional contentious matters (insured and uninsured), including aircraft purchase and leasing disputes, passenger, baggage and cargo claims, subrogated actions and debt recovery proceedings.

Peter is Head of our Aviation Practice in APAC. He has 28 years’ experience working for the aviation industry, including working for a Hong Kong airline in the early 1990s and working for legal practices in Singapore and Hong Kong over the last 23 years.

Peter’s practice includes acting for start-up and existing airlines and other aircraft operators on ownership and control issues, obtaining AOCs and foreign carrier permits, designation on air service agreements, and obtaining, maintaining and losing airport slots in a number of jurisdictions, including Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Recent work has included (i) advising an airline on the impact of strike action on their slots in Mainland China, (ii) advising a European airline on securing humanitarian Covid 19 cargo flights to Mainland China, (iii) advising a US carrier on obtaining extra fifth freedom rights and airport slots in Hong Kong and (iv) advising an Asia based airline group on retaining airport slots in various jurisdictions following its restructuring.

Peter qualified in England and Wales in 1996 and Hong Kong in 2003.

Jorn is the Head of Legal & General Counsel at Wizz Air. Prior to joining Wizz Air in 2019, Jorn was Group Legal Counsel at Air France-KLM. From 2006 until 2011, Jorn was a corporate lawyer at Clifford Chance. Jorn is an alumnus of the International Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University, where he graduated in 2005 (cum laude).

Head Worldwide Airport Slots at International Air Transport Association (IATA).

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