GHOST FLIGHTS
&
THE IMPORTANCE
OF SLOTS
PRESENTATION BY
NATALIA OSETKOWSKA
What are
ghost flights?
A flight that is empty or almost empty.
Sometimes empty planes are called ghost
planes, but this could mean a crashed one too,
or one transporting prisoners.
Why do they
happen?
Retaining airport slots
-Regulations enforced by
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
The European Commission
-The “use it or lose it” rule
-Before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
-Other times of cancelling the rule
US 2001 attacks
2003 SARS outbreak
2008 financial crisis
Training and maintenance activities
Keeping the aircraft and the pilots current
Chief executive Carsten Spohr of
the Lufthansa Group "due to this
'use it or lose it' rule we will have
to carry out 18,000 extra
unnecessary flights just to secure
our take-off and landings right.”
The issue with
ghost flights
Climate Change
Unnecessarily and additionally polluting the
environment, worsening the climate crisis.
2.5%
global carbon dioxide
emissions from ait travel
100 000
European ghost flights
took off over the winter
35,000
commercial flights have operated
almost empty since 2019, with
fewer than 10% of seats filled
Responses to
ghost flights
accusations
Lufthansa vs Ryanair
the Group CEO of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, believes eliminating the need to
fly 18,000 unnecessary flights is simple if Lufthansa were to “just sell these
seats to consumers.” According to Bloomberg, he said that, “Lufthansa loves
crying crocodile tears about the environment when doing everything possible
to protect its slots.”
The feud between O’Leary and Spohr raises questions about why Lufthansa
can't price these tickets lower to appeal to a wider market of customers. While
this could fill up the plane, the idea gets shut down by Lufthansa's CEO who
feels Ryanair’s €5 fares are “irresponsible”.
Possible
solutions
Publication of data &
transparency
Change of rules
Banning short-haul flights
where there's a reasonable
train connection
Alethea Warrington, at the climate charity Possible, said: “Following a summer
of record-breaking, runway-melting heat, this wanton waste of carbon by
airlines flies in the face of those feeling the full brunt of our warming world, [...]
To end this for good, it’s time to start taxing kerosene to discourage
unnecessary emissions.”
What are
slots?
Slots are the facility to land, disembark
passengers, refuel, take on a new cohort of
passengers and then take off again -- all
within a specified and regulated time frame.
Planning
schedules have to align
with demand
WASG
Worldwide Airport Slot
Guidelines
Re-planning
"grandfather rights."
What do they
mean to the
customers?
Airlines don’t have to cancel flights even if pandemic restrictions
mean their passengers can no longer travel. The EC’s Denied
Boarding Regulation says that if a UK or European airline cancels a
flight departing or landing within the region, it must issue
passengers a refund or offer another flight. However, if the flight
isn’t cancelled, consumers may miss out on refunds.
Long-term planning
Additionally since the airlines know what slots they'll
have in the future they can sell tickets in advance.
Statistical
Information
Thank you
for your
attention
PRESENTATION BY
NATALIA OSETKOWSKA