Connect Airways / Flybe – Slot Release Procedure for IATA Summer 2020 Season

On 26 July 2019, the European Commission approved Smith & Williamson LLP as the Monitoring Trustee to monitor the implementation of the Commitments given by Connect Airways. The Commitments were made legally binding by a decision adopted by the European Commission under Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation on 5 July 2019.

The Commitments are available on the European Commission’s website. The Commission’s Press Release of 5 July 2019 summarises the Commitments. Further information about the case can be found on the dedicated case page of the Commission.

Under the Commitments, Connect Airways is obliged to make take-off and landing slots (“Slots”) available at Amsterdam and/or Birmingham airports and at Birmingham and/or Paris (CDG and ORY) airports, in order to facilitate the entry or expansion of Prospective Entrants on the Amsterdam-Birmingham route and Paris-Birmingham route respectively.

Applications for slots for IATA Summer 2020 Season

Smith & Williamson LLP has been appointed by the European Commission as the Monitoring Trustee to monitor the implementation of Commitments given by Connect Airways.

The Monitoring Trustee has opened the Slot Release Procedure for IATA Summer 2020 Season on the following routes:

• up to (5) five Frequencies per day in total on the Amsterdam-Birmingham route; and
• up to (3) three Frequencies per day in total on the Paris-Birmingham route.

Prospective Entrants that wish to apply for these Slots must do so by Thursday 15 August 2019 1800 UTC following the procedure set out on the Monitoring Trustee’s dedicated website, available here.