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Old Sep 2, 2020, 9:16 am
  #9  
thenoflyzone
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 43
Originally Posted by hollywoodcory17
Probably replacing YYC / YYZ - LGW service.
Not sure about that. From what I understand, they won't be able to transfer their LGW flights, as they run the risk of losing those slots, as LGW hasn't yet waived their slot usage guidelines for W20, meaning the 80/20 use it or lose it rule still applies, as far as I know.

The slot hand back deadline at LHR was 31 August 2020, and the fact this news came about Sept 1 leads me to believe these are ad hoc slot approvals. These aren't regular slots, and you need to apply every time for ad hoc slot approvals, before the start of every season, with no guarantee of approval. They also come with their own restrictions.

https://www.acl-uk.org/wp-content/up...localrule2.pdf

The following conditions may result in the suspension of the allocation of ad hoc slots: adverse operating conditions (e.g. severe weather), special events (e.g. major
sporting event or state occasion) or temporary loss of airport infrastructure (e.g. a runway closure) that is likely to lead to significant and prolonged disruption or delay. Heathrow’s Airside Director or delegated representative in cooperation with NATS will declare to ACL if such conditions exist. The allocation of ad hoc availability may be suspended and any allocated ad hoc slots may be withdrawn upon reasonable notice to the operator.
Not ideal, but if you want to fly into LHR, you take what you can get. Will be interesting to see what WS does, as they only have 2 months advance notice to try and fill up twice daily LHR flights, in the middle of a pandemic, and with COVID cases on the rise in the UK.

Originally Posted by Fiordland
Nice. WS gets to sit at the big table with the grownup airlines instead of the little kids table.
Ad-hoc slots at LHR is like the little kids table too. If you want to sit at the grownups table, you need to buy year round slots off of another airline, and those come at a premium. Pandemic, or not.

Last edited by thenoflyzone; Sep 2, 2020 at 9:26 am
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