Sydney Airport

Slot management at Sydney Airport is regulated by the Sydney Airport Demand Management Act 1997 (the Act). It sets a cap on runway movements, limiting aircraft operations to a maximum of 80 per hour. This limit is crucial for balancing efficient airport operations with environmental considerations and noise distribution.

The Sydney Airport Slot Management Scheme 2013 (the Slot Management Scheme) establishes a system for allocating gate movements. Under this Scheme, a slot specifies a particular aircraft movement at a designated time and day. Both commercial and private aircraft must have an approved “slot” to either land or take off at Sydney Airport.

Unique aspects of this legislative framework, compared to global industry standards, include:

The Permanent Regional Service Series (PRSS), which are reserved slots for New South Wales regional services
The Compliance Scheme
A lower threshold for New Entrant qualification
Aircraft size testing

The Sydney Airport Compliance Scheme 2012 (the Compliance Scheme) outlines a compliance framework that mandates airlines adhere to their allocated slots. Airlines face penalties for consistent off slot operations that are outside the airlines control and unauthorized aircraft movements, such as knowingly or recklessly permitting aircraft to operate without a designated slot.

For further details on the Sydney Airport Demand Management Act and its instruments, please follow the link:

https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/airports/airport-planning-regulation/slot-sydney

Coordination Timeline 2024- 2025

Please find the link to the coordination timeline for 2024-25, along with an explanation of the main deadlines.

Updates

Please find below a list of reports:

The 80/20 Use it or Lose it Rule

According to the World Airport Slots Guidelines (8.6.1):

Historic precedence is only granted for a series of slots if the airline can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the coordinator that the series was operated at least 80% of the time during the period allocated in the previous equivalent season.

For further information on historic slots please follow the link to the World Airport Slots Guidelines:

https://www.iata.org/en/programs/ops-infra/slots/slot-guidelines/

Due to the amount of incorrect narrative about slots in the media, please find below the facts about the incorrect claims:

The Claim: Bonza couldn’t get slots at Sydney, Rod Sims, 2024

The Facts: Bonza never asked for slots in Sydney. We had many meetings with Bonza and discussed a potential schedule, and all timings were available. Therefore, slots were not a factor in Bonza’s downfall.

The Claim: Being shut out of Sydney was “making a hard execution harder” for the low-cost carrier. Tim Jordan, Australian Aviation, 2024

The Facts: Bonza was welcome to ask for slots in Sydney and slots were available with their potential schedule, but they never asked for slots. They held slots at Darwin and Melbourne, so they knew the process, but never asked for slots.

The Claim: “ Let’s not forget that it was only 12 months ago that we discovered that Qatar Airways had been blocked from additional slots” Catherine Hume. News.com.au 5th August

The Facts: Qatar had not been blocked from landing slots by ACA, Qatar cannot receive any further bilateral rights to fly to Sydney, this is the Government’s decision, not ACA’s. We only deal with slot allocation not traffic rights.

The Claim: the country’s third-largest airline has been disadvantaged by a system that required the approval of Qantas and Virgin to get access to Sydney Airport, Rod Sims, the Australian, 5th August

The Facts: Our shareholders and Board have no input on the allocation of slots. Slots are not approved by Qantas or Virgin. This is conducted separately by the staff and managed by the CEO in accordance with the Sydney Airport Demand Management Act and the World Airport Slot Guidelines. There are distinct rules on how slots are to be allocated and we follow these rules by the book. This is a legal requirement under the Act that must be adhered to. Furthermore, we are regularly audited by the Government to ensure we are allocating slots in a fair, neutral and non-discriminatory manner.

The Claim: “So when Rex – or indeed Bonza, who also wanted extra slots at Sydney Airport – want those key slots that they must have to be viable, they have to go and essentially ask for them from Qantas and Virgin. And of course, they’ve also got to put their business plans before them, Rod Sims, 2024

The Facts: This is totally incorrect, we coordinate slots in a neutral and independent manner. When an airline asked for slots, we never share this with any of our Board or Shareholders. Information about slot filings are kept strictly confidential. The Board/Shareholders are there to ensure that we can continue providing services to all users of Sydney Airport, they are not involved in any slot allocation decisions. This is handled solely by the staff and CEO of ACA, as required under the Act.

REX had all the slots they needed at Sydney, slots was not the issue, they even handed back additional jet slots they were not planning to use

ACA Fast Facts

– ACA was setup by the Government, under Hon. John Sharp the then Transport Minister.

– In 1997, the shareholders were decided by Peter Harris, the author of the 2020 Review on the Sydney Demand Management Act. Many slot coordinators globally were setup in the same way.

– The role of the Shareholders is to ensure the company is financially viable so it can remain operational.

– ACA is revenue neutral; we do not make profits from the allocation of slots at Sydney Airport; we provide a service to the aviation industry.

– In 26 years of operation, ACA has never received a complaint by any airline about the allocation of slots at any of our coordinated airports, either domestically or internationally.

– We have allocated slots in 47 airports in 7 countries in our 26 years of operation, we are experienced independent slot coordinators

Sydney Slot Fast Facts

– There are already rules that give priority to new airlines, in the last few years 4 new international airlines have received new slots in the peak period, with more planned for the future.

– 32% of slots are available at Sydney for the next season

– Peak allocations are still available

– On average, 5% of slots per season do not meet the 80/20 utilsation rate and airlines, including Qantas and Virgin, lose slots, with peak period slots also being lost. Of these lost slots, 70% were from domestic carriers.