Slot coordination was imposed at Cannes-Mandelieu Airport in the south of France under a trial period that will run from May 23 through October 25. According to Umberto Vallino, the airport’s customer service manager, Cannes has become the first dedicated business aviation airport in Europe to be subject to mandatory arrival and departure slots. While Europe’s busier air transport gateways often require slots for business aircraft, such restrictions have not previously been imposed at airports such as Cannes where there is no airline traffic.
France’s DGAC civil aviation authority introduced the slot coordination at Cannes, arguing that the airport’s air traffic controllers cannot handle the volume of traffic around Cannes and nearby Nice-Cote d’Azur Airport (where slots are also now required). Vallino expressed frustration at the move, which he said stems from inefficiency on the part of ATC providers.
More In Airports
