A slot is the permission given by a coordinator to an airplane to land at or to take off from a coordinated airport on a specific date and time. See for full definition (EC) Regulation 95/93, Article 2(a).

An airport can be designated as coordinated by a Member State when experiencing some kind of congestion. The number of coordinated airports worldwide is 140. In the Netherlands we have 3 coordinated airports: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), Eindhoven Airport (EIN) and Rotterdam Airport (RTM).

The process of slot allocation is designed as a planning instrument to help balance supply and demand at a coordinated airport and to maximize the use of scarce capacity. We basically streamline and coordinate the landing and taking off at our airports.

Under the European Union rules – (EC) Regulation 95/93, as amended -, a Member State of the EU needs to appoint an airport coordinator for each coordinated airport. The same coordinator can be appointed for more than one airport. SACN has been appointed for coordinating AMS, EIN and RTM. Coordinators are independent bodies to maximise transparency.

Slots are allocated for each season, and slot coordination recognises two different ones. There is a Winter season and a Summer season. The mark of the change of season coincides in the EU with the change of summer/winter time. The difference is recognised to make sure we use daylight optimally.

For each season the Member State of the EU is responsible for determining the number of available slots at a coordinated airport. This is calculated on the basis of coordination parameters. All relevant technical, operational and environmental constraints are taken into account in determining the coordination parameters and thus to determine the number of available slots.

The allocation planning process starts around six months before the start of each season. Slots are allocated free of charge from a pool of available slots. Allocation takes place according to certain priority rules in a neutral, non-discriminatory and in a transparent manner. The leading principle of distribution is based on historical precedence, the so-called grandfather rights. When an airline operates a series of slots in a season for 80% or more, it can hold on to the same series in the next same season. When it operates less than 80% it loses its historic rights (the so called ‘use-it-or-loose-it’ rule). Slots can be re-allocated until the day of operation.

An airline can keep its request on the list of ‘outstanding requests’ to see if during the allocation process slots become available over time. Airlines can freely exchange slots. Prior to each season a worldwide Scheduling Conference takes place enabling face to face meetings between airlines, airports and coordinators to improve the allocation process.

Airport Coordination Netherlands (ACNL) is an independent governing body by public law, financed by a slotfee that air carriers and the level 3 airports have to pay. ACNL will provide slot allocation services at AMS, EIN and RTM in accordance with European and national rules, and the IATA Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines. The managing director and her staff are responsible for the allocation of slots. A supervisory board consisting of  representatives of the three coordinated airports and the air carriers which have their home base in the Netherlands, is responsible for monitoring financial and organisational matters.

The allocation of slots takes place without discrimination to nationality or airline.

Information is published on the website of the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate: https://english.ilent.nl/topics/slot-misuse-enforcement

In the policy and procedures ACNL is only responsible for monitoring on unplanned night movements. This has impact on the procedures for operators operating unplanned night movements.
ACNL will report unplanned night movements to the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate. Operators will not be informed by ACNL. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate will sent operators a compulsory information request regarding discrepancies.

All questions with regard to the night regime can be asked to the the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate via https://english.ilent.nl/topics/slot-misuse-enforcement. ACNL cannot be contacted regarding the night regime.

A flight operated between 23.00 – 06.59 LT (runway time) without having a night slot will be considered as unplanned night movement.

ACNL is performing slot monitoring for the night regime. Unplanned night movements will be reported to the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate for enforcement.

At RTM and EIN the night period is not slot coordinated. Enforcement is done by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate.

More information can be found on https://slotcoordination.nl/slot-monitoring/night-regime/ and https://english.ilent.nl/topics/slot-misuse-enforcement.