EU Defends Airline Slot Rules Over Lufthansa Ghost Flights Row
- Commission calls 50% slot use requirement very reasonable
- Air traffic at up to 78% of 2019 volumes over winter season
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The European Union defended its airport slots rule following complaints by some airlines including Deutsche Lufthansa AG that the requirement forces it to fly empty planes.
Lufthansa last week launched an onslaught against the EU’s use-it-or-lose-it rules that stipulate flights must take place or takeoff and landing slots will be forfeited. The carrier, whose units include Swiss, Brussels Airlines and Austrian Airlines, has claimed the regulations will force it to operate 18,000 flights without passengers over the winter season, causing unnecessary carbon-dioxide emissions.