Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has started legal action in the Netherlands to prevent the application of a new Policy Rule (Rule) for slot allocation that would have significant negative effects on the globally functioning system of slot allocation and would result in very significant (commercial) damage for the members of IATA.
The Rule was implemented by the Netherlands slots coordinator, ACNL, to take effect for the Summer 2022 season. It prescribes a list of priority destinations for slots at three congested Dutch airports (Amsterdam Schiphol, Eindhoven and Rotterdam The Hague). This would contravene the European regulation on the common rules for community air services (1008/2008) and the European Slot Regulation (95/93) in several respects.
The Rule was improperly implemented. ACNL unilaterally applied the Rule without the proper consultation of interested parties, as would be required under EU law.
The most egregious impacts of the…