The trade association of the world’s airports is calling for a modernised, transparent and collaborative approach to ensure scarce airport capacity is used efficiently, market access remains competitive and slot allocation keeps pace with increasing passenger demand.
Montreal, 15 July 2026 – Airports Council International (ACI) World, the trade association of the world’s airports, today released a white paper calling for the modernisation of the global airport slot allocation system. The white paper details how an outdated regulatory framework, designed more than 50 years ago, is forcing the aviation industry into inefficient compromises, creating barriers to socio-economic competitiveness and connectivity.
The foundational framework managing slot allocation has not kept pace with aviation’s dynamic growth and transformation. With the number of the world’s most congested, slot-restricted airports surging by over 25% in the last decade alone, and global passenger traffic projected to nearly double by the mid-2040s, the capacity crisis continues to accelerate. ACI World is calling on regulators to engage with the industry to address the issue and modernise the slot allocation system before the capacity crunch escalates further. (....)