Aviation bodies seek airport slots waiver for much of 2021

PARIS, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Global aviation heavyweights led by airline body IATA are pushing to suspend airport slot access rules until next October, according to a document seen by Reuters, while giving some ground to budget carriers angered by measures they deem anti-competitive.

The draft proposal to be issued jointly by IATA, airports body ACI and slot coordinators calls on regulators to extend the current waiver of rules requiring airlines to use 80% of their take-off and landing windows or else cede some to rivals.

Slot rules and their suspension have big ramifications for airline competition and market access for low-cost carriers, which were making ever deeper inroads before the pandemic. (Reporting by Laurence Frost; Editing by Edmund Blair)