Nothing is more important to airlines than landing and terminal slots. Each airport only has so many, each airport has a tight schedule, every airspace over towns and cities have noise and access restrictions. When COVID hit (along with the Boeing 737 Max being grounded), many airports went under used and went looking for new business. The really big airlines — facing financial disasters of their own as no one was flying — avoided penalty payments to retain slots. Suddenly, slots became free.
The last time this happened in 1999 — at JFK Airport, for example — a small start-up paid the airport for landing and take-off slots for four years ahead of time. When that recession ended, the big boys got angry their slots were sold to that small start-up. They clubbed together and refused to allow the start-up to use a main terminal… JFK staff were forced to allow the start-up access to an old cargo terminal for years. Jet Blue was that airline and they succeeded anyway.
Here’s a headline you may not have seen: “More than 30 Airlines line up for launch in 2021.” How’d they do that? They bought vacant slots all over the world. One of the companies was founded, again, by David Neeleman — the man who helped start Jet Blue. His new airline is called Breeze Airways based out of Salt Lake City. Using the obtained slots at Salt Lake City, Breeze will offer low cost flights to midsize U.S. cities who are all desperate for business. Starting with small turboprops and already with 60 Airbus A220-300s on order, Breeze will see success or failure by the end of 2022.
The same thing is happening across the globe, especially Africa and South America. National airlines have been struggling and these start-ups can use second-hand aircraft from leasing companies desperate to keep them producing revenue — even if less revenue than a major airline would pay. Are the aircraft safe? Yes, ground crew are stationed everywhere and keen for the work. The loyalty to a major or national carrier over a leased aircraft is zero… but budgets have to be watched and every major leasing company now has their own inspectors traveling the globe, making sure their leased asset remains safe, sound and an asset of full value.
Some of the new names are quite modern: FlyPop, TREQ, EnerJet, Ultra Air, Viva Air, Flycana, FlyBe (back from bankruptcy), Flyr, Wizz Air,Emerald, ETF (meaning easy to fly), Ego Airways, World2Fly, Eurowings Discover, Lift, Green Africa Airways, Air Sial, FlyBig and many more. This observation has to be added: Booking choices may be a nightmare.
Peter Riva, a former resident of Amenia Union, now lives in New Mexico.
Photo by Graham Corrigan
