Consultation outcome

Bristol Airport's application for year-round slot coordination

Updated 17 August 2023

Applies to England

Changes to original consultation

In November 2022, after the original consultation had closed, Bristol Airport provided new information on actual levels of demand over summer 2022 and, based on this, updated projections for summer 2023 to the Department for Transport. This information indicates that passenger demand may grow faster at Bristol Airport than was the case in the original Capacity Analysis Report.

In light of this new information, we have decided to reopen the consultation to allow interested and affected parties to consider and comment on it.

Bristol Airport’s capacity assessment contains a non-technical summary which sets out issues they have identified and why they believe becoming slot coordinated year-round will address them, alongside a more detailed technical annex.

Should the Secretary of State for Transport decide to designate Bristol Airport as a year-round Level 3 co-ordinated airport (that is co-ordinated 24 hours a day throughout the year) the first scheduling season this could apply to would be Winter 2023, starting on 29 October 2023.

Bristol application

This consultation seeks your views on 2 issues:

1. Whether Bristol Airport should be designated as ‘coordinated’ by the Secretary of State on a year-round basis for the purposes of Regulation (EEC) No 95/93 of 18 January 1993 on slot allocation at United Kingdom airports (‘the slot regulation’), as retained (and amended) in UK domestic law under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, and the UK’s own Airports Slot Allocation Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/2665).

2. If it should be so designated, whether you agree that the Secretary of State for Transport should approve the appointment of Airport Coordination Limited (ACL) as the coordinator for Bristol Airport on a year-round basis.

This consultation on Bristol Airport’s designation as coordinated on year-round basis is separate from the issue of the airport’s planning permission. Whilst Bristol Airport anticipates needing year-round coordination in both a scenario where the planning permission is upheld or revoked, the need for year-round coordination would be greater in a scenario where planning permission is revoked.

This consultation is open to the public and is being published on GOV.UK. It is also being sent directly to a number of local community groups, including all those who responded to the previous consultation on the same subject in 2020. In addition, it is being sent to consultees within the aviation industry and local authorities listed in this consultation document.

Airport slot allocation categories

The slot regulation establishes rules that help ensure the non-discriminatory, efficient and transparent allocation of slots and facilitation of schedule changes at busy airports, to help make the most efficient use of airport capacity.

As part of this, there are 3 categories of airport slot coordination status, reflecting the degree of potential congestion at an airport and the intervention needed to help reduce congestion and delays. The categories are as follows.

Coordinated

The most congested airports, where all slots must be allocated by an independent coordinator. In the UK, London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, London City, Luton, Manchester and Birmingham are coordinated airports. Bristol is partially coordinated for night-time operations in the summer season.

Schedules facilitated

Airports where there is potential for congestion at certain times and where an independent ‘schedules facilitator’ has a formal role to ensure that airlines’ planned air services can all be accommodated by voluntary agreements between airlines.

Other

Less busy airports where airlines’ air service schedules can generally all be accommodated without difficulty.

In order for an airport to be designated as ‘coordinated’ or ‘schedules facilitated’ an application must be made to the Secretary of State for Transport. If this is successful, the airport operator then appoints a coordinator or schedules facilitator as appropriate. This appointment is subject to the Secretary of State’s approval following consultation with the airport users, their representatives and, where appropriate, coordination committees.

Process for designation of an airport as ‘coordinated’ required by slot regulation

The Secretary of State may only designate an airport as coordinated following a thorough capacity analysis.

On the basis of the analysis, the Secretary of State shall consult on the capacity situation at the airport with the managing body of the airport, the air carriers using the airport regularly, their representative organisations, representatives of general aviation using the airport regularly and air traffic control authorities.

Where it has been demonstrated that capacity problems have or will occur for at least one scheduling period, the Secretary of State shall ensure that the airport is designated as coordinated for the relevant period only if:

• the shortfall is of such a serious nature that significant delays cannot be avoided at the airport, and
• there are no possibilities of resolving these problems in the short term

Background to Bristol Airport’s application to become coordinated

Bristol Airport is currently designated as ‘partially coordinated’ and has night-time only coordination for the summer season. This was requested by the airport operator in 2017 to manage its restrictions on aircraft movements and remain within the limits of their planning conditions with North Somerset Council. Following consultation conducted by DfT, approval for Level 3 status for night-time summer season only was granted to Bristol Airport in advance of the IATA summer season 2018.

In November 2019, Bristol Airport’s operator contacted the Department for Transport (DfT) requesting formal designation as fully coordinated on a year-round basis in accordance with article 3 of the slot regulation, from the IATA Winter 2020 to 2021 season onwards.

In 2020, Bristol Airport withdrew its application due to the unprecedented effect of coronavirus (COVID-19) on demand and notified the government that it intended to resubmit the application once demand had recovered. In June 2022 Bristol Airport resubmitted its application, seeking designation as fully coordinated on year-round basis from the IATA summer 2023 season onwards.

The further changes, leading to the reopening of this application, are detailed and the original consultation ran between 24 August 2022 to 5 October 2022.

Airport capacity analysis

Slot regulation requires that an airport seeking a change to its slot coordination status must commission a thorough airport capacity analysis. This analysis, based on commonly recognised methods, shall determine any shortfall in capacity, taking into account environmental constraints at the airport in question. The analysis shall consider the possibilities of overcoming such shortfall through new or modified infrastructure, operational changes, or any other change, and the time frame envisaged to resolve the problems.

Bristol Airport’s capacity analysis, which forms the basis of this consultation, was produced for the airport by its consultants Mott Macdonald. 

Download the capacity analysis report from the Bristol Airport website (PDF, 3MB).

Implications of coordination

The slot regulation and the Airports Slot Allocation Regulations 2006 set out in detail the rights and responsibilities of airlines, airports and the coordinator that would apply if the airport were to be designated as coordinated on year-round basis. The key points likely to be of most relevance to this consultation are summarised below, although respondents should consider all the content of the regulations and if appropriate obtain independent legal advice.

Provisions of the slot regulation

A coordinated airport is defined as an airport where, in order to land or take off, it is necessary for an air carrier or any other aircraft operator to have been allocated a slot by a coordinator, with the exception of state flights, emergency landings and humanitarian flights.

The coordinator shall be the sole person responsible for the allocation of slots. The process of allocation is managed according to ‘grandfather rights’ for a series of slots, whereby an air carrier that has used a series of slots for the operation of scheduled and programmed non-scheduled air services is entitled to continue using the same series of slots, albeit under conditions including the so-called ‘use it or lose it’ rule.

Any newly created slots and others not allocated to air carriers on the basis of historic rights shall be placed into a slots pool, from which 50% of slots are allocated according to the ‘new entrant’ rule for pool slots allocation.

Slots can be transferred within the operations of an air carrier and its subsidiaries or exchanged between air carriers.

The coordinator shall monitor the conformity of air carriers’ operations with the slots allocated to them.

Enforcement action may be taken by the coordinator against those airlines that do not operate according to the slot regulation, by introducing sanctions for slot misuse.

A slot coordination committee must be established and maintained. The coordination committee shall make proposals or advise the coordinator and/or the Secretary of State on issues including possibilities for increasing the capacity of the airport, the coordination parameters, the methods of monitoring the use of allocated slots and serious problems encountered by new entrants.

Membership of the coordination committee must be open to the air carriers using the airport regularly, their representative organisations, the managing body of the airport concerned, the relevant air traffic control authorities and the representatives of general aviation using the airport regularly.

The determination of the parameters for slot allocation and the methodology used, as well as any changes to these, shall be discussed in detail within the coordination committee with a view to increasing the capacity and number of slots available for allocation, before a final decision is taken on the parameters for slot allocation.

Costs and benefits of designation as coordinated

There are several benefits and costs associated with the designation of Bristol Airport as a coordinated airport arising from implementation of the arrangements. Benefits include a likely reduction in potential delays to airlines and passengers and more efficient management of the airport’s capacity. Lower levels of delay to aircraft may have environmental benefits to the extent that they reduce emissions.

The main costs are likely to arise to the airport managing body and airlines from operating and participating in the coordination process, including the cost of the coordinator.

Consultation on the appointment of Airport Coordination Limited (ACL) as slot coordinator at Bristol Airport

The slot regulation states that a slot coordinator can only be appointed with the approval of the Secretary of State, following consultation. The Secretary of State can withdraw that approval if he is satisfied that a coordinator has acted in a way that is not independent, neutral, non-discriminatory and transparent.

A coordinator can, under certain circumstances, impose civil penalties on air carriers if an air carrier repeatedly and intentionally abuses slots allocated to it. Airlines can also be fined for failing to provide the coordinator with requested information. ACL has adopted a Misuse of Slots Enforcement Code for operating the slots sanctions scheme at the airports where they act as coordinator.

The airport managing body is responsible for establishing and maintaining the coordination committee, and for determining the slot allocation parameters.

If the Secretary of State decides to designate Bristol Airport as coordinated on year-round basis, the airport operator must appoint a coordinator. The Secretary of State must first consider whether or not to approve that appointment following consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

ACL is currently contracted to provide schedules facilitation and partial coordination services at Bristol Airport. The department understands that, subject to the Secretary of State’s approval, the airport proposes to appoint ACL as the coordinator.

In deciding whether to approve ACL’s appointment, the Secretary of State must be satisfied that ACL can carry out its functions as coordinator in an independent, neutral, non-discriminatory and transparent way.

It should be emphasised that the fact that ACL is currently contracted to provide services at the airport does not mean that ACL should or must be approved as the coordinator for the purposes of the slot regulation and the Airports Slot Allocation Regulations 2006. It is possible that other persons might have the qualifications, including technical facilities, required for appointment. However, no alternative candidates have been proposed by Bristol Airport’s operator.

How to respond to this consultation

If you have previously responded to this consultation, before 5 October 2022 there is no need for you to answer as your original response will be included. Should you wish to amend or alter your original response you may contact us to do so. You are, of course, able to respond twice should you choose to do so.

You can respond to this consultation online or via email or post.

See the Ways to respond section of the GOV.UK homepage for this consultation.

When responding please state whether you are doing so as an individual or representing the views of an organisation. If responding on behalf of a larger organisation please make it clear who the organisation represents, and where applicable, how the views of members were assembled.

Please could airline respondents indicate which other airports they operate services from.

There is a list of aviation industry and local authority consultees below. If you have any suggestions for other organisations which may wish to be involved in this process, please email your thoughts to SlotConsultation@dft.gov.uk.

Next steps following the consultation

A summary of the consultation responses, including the next steps, will be published on DfT’s website.

Paper copies will be available on request.

DfT will undertake a detailed study of the consultation responses which, together with the capacity analysis, will inform the Secretary of State’s decisions on whether or not to designate Bristol Airport as fully ‘coordinated’ on year-round basis and, if so, whether or not to approve the appointment of ACL as coordinator.

The Secretary of State intends to publish the decision in time for it to be considered for the slot allocation process for the Summer 2023 scheduling season.

If the Secretary of State’s decision is to designate Bristol Airport as fully ‘coordinated’ on a year-round basis, the coordination for the airport’s Summer 2023 schedule will be carried out by the coordinator. The process for this is an issue for the airport operator, airlines and the coordinator to consider, and not part of this consultation.

List of aviation industry and local authority consultees

Commercial airlines

Aegean Airlines

Aurigny Air Services

Blue Islands

Corendon Airlines

DHL

EasyJet

Jet 2

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Loganair

Lufthansa

Ryanair

SunExpress

Swiss

TUI

Wizzair

Business / Private aviation

Bristol & Wessex Flying Club

Bristol Flying

Centreline AV Ltd

Profred Partners LLP

Western Power distribution (helicopters)

Ground-handler / Ground support

Swissport

Aviation trade associations

Airlines UK

Airport Operators Association

IATA

Other aviation

Airport Coordination Ltd

BAE Systems

Civil Aviation Authority

NATS

Bristol Airport Consultative Committee

Local councils

Backwell Parish Council

Bristol City Council

Brockley Parish Council

Cleve Parish Council

Compton Dando Parish Council

Dundry Parish Council

Keynsham Town Council

North Somerset Council

Winford Parish Council

Wrington Parish Council

List of questions

This is an overview of the questions we are asking. See the Ways to respond section of the consultation home page to provide your answers these questions.

Do you consider the capacity analysis has provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate that:

• capacity problems will occur for at least one scheduling period?
• there is a shortfall in slot capacity that is of such a serious nature that significant delays cannot be avoided at the airport?
• there are no possibilities of resolving these problems in the short term?

Why?

Do you consider that designating Bristol Airport as coordinated on year-round basis would:

• ensure efficient airport operations?
• manage future growth?
• avoid queuing and congestion?

Why?

In your view what, if any, other:

• positive impacts should be considered?
• negative impacts (including hidden cost increases or other potentially adverse effects) should be considered?

Do you agree with the capacity analysis’ overall recommendation that Bristol Airport should be designated as a coordinated airport on year-round basis?

Should Bristol Airport be designated as coordinated on year-round basis, do you agree that the Secretary of State should approve ACL as the coordinator?

Freedom of Information

Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be subject to publication or disclosure in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

If you want information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, under the FOIA, there is a statutory code of practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence.

In view of this it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the department.

The department will process your personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act and in the majority of circumstances this will mean that your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties.

Data protection

This consultation and the processing of personal data that it entails is necessary for the exercise of our functions as a government department. If your answers contain any information that allows you to be identified, DfT will, under data protection law, be the controller for this information.

As part of this consultation, we’re asking for your name and email address. This is in case we need to ask you follow-up questions about any of your responses. You do not have to give us this personal information. If you do provide it, we’ll use it only to ask follow-up questions. We will not use your name or other personal details that could identify you when we report the results of the consultation.

If you’re replying on behalf on an organisation we are asking for your organisation’s name. This is so we can view responses from different sections of the sector collectively.

DfT’s privacy policy has more information about your rights concerning your personal data, how to complain and how to contact the Data Protection Officer.

Your information will be kept securely on a secure IT system within DfT and destroyed within 12 months of the consultation end date.