EU Court of Justice rules airlines' historic slots may be reduced or revoked to enforce local passenger caps under Slot Regulation
Why It MattersThe ruling shows that grandfathered slot rights at EU airports are not insulated from local planning limits, making capacity caps a binding constraint on how incumbent carriers hold and use their slots.
The Court of Justice of the European Union has delivered its judgment in daa and Others (C-857/24), holding that airlines' historic slots may be reduced or revoked in order to enforce local passenger caps under the Slot Regulation (95/93).
The judgment answers a request for a preliminary ruling from the Irish High Court in a case brought by daa plc (formerly Dublin Airport Authority plc) and others against the Irish Aviation Authority and Airport Coordination Limited. The case concerns local planning restrictions on passenger capacity limits, airport slot allocation and airline operating rights under the Slot Regulation. The Irish Aviation Authority is the competent authority that sets the coordination parameters.
