Text tabled : A7-0379/2012

  Charles Tannock (ECR). - Mr President, the aim of this proposed new regulation on airport slots is to ensure optimal allocation and use of the slots in congested airports, a particular problem in the region that I represent, London, where there is a huge debate over aviation and expansion of airport facilities. This proposal aims to strengthen and effectively implement slot allocation and use and to enhance fair competition and competitiveness of the operators, which of course is a good thing.

The report says that airlines can keep a series of slots for a scheduling period, provided they have used 80 % of their slot allocation during the previous scheduling period, but some of the regulations have unintended consequences. Red tape aimed at compiling data on the financial compensation from the sale of slots would unfortunately result in the publication of confidential commercial information, which would add extra administrative costs to the airlines and therefore those costs would be passed onto the consumer as increased airline fares, so we voted against it.