As airlines have started eyeing airport slots vacated by the grounded IndiGo and GoAir aircraft, the two carriers have made it clear that their slots won’t go unused, as any of them not utilised for a month can be allocated to another airline, as per Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations.
Summer schedule
DGCA rules say that any slot not utilised for a month can be allocated to another airline. With the summer schedule kicking off from March 25, the airport slots have become a hot topic for airlines. IndiGo in a statement said no slot allotted to the airlines remains unutilised for more than a month and neither does the airline intend to leave any slot unutilised for that period of time.
IndiGo had grounded three Pratt and Whitney-powered NEO aircraft on February 10 after the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a directive to do so and more planes were grounded since, as numerous technical glitches, including mid-flight engine failures, were detected.
“Two NEOs are already back in the air today. A third Neo is expected to be back in the air later tonight. Robert Leduc of Pratt and Whitney has already stated in their last analyst call that they expect to see all IndiGo neos back in the air by end of April,” IndiGo said in the statement dispelling any possibility of troubles on that front.
176 slots
Rival carriers have however made a quick calculation to point out that the grounding of 11 aircraft has opened up 176 slots. A senior airline executive with a low-cost carrier pointed out that an aircraft does, on an average, 7-8 rotations a day.
“So, for example, an aircraft takes off from Delhi at 6.30 a.m. for Mumbai and lands there at 9 a.m. These would be counted as two slots — one each in Delhi and Mumbai. This aircraft then flies from Mumbai at say 9.30 a.m. to Bengaluru. This would again be counted as two slots — one each in Mumbai and Bengaluru and so on. Thus 8 rotations would mean 16 slots,” the official not wanting to be named said.
