- IATA has highlighted the Justified Non-Use of Slots mechanism during disruptions from conflict and fuel issues.
- The 80-20 rule allows 20pc non-utilisation for cancellations due to weather or mechanical problems.
- JNUS prevents permanent harm to airline networks and supports quick recovery.
- The mechanism acts as a rules-based safeguard for slot retention in extraordinary circumstances.
- IATA is keeping governments informed on challenges faced by airlines in high-risk environments.
IATA has highlighted the justified non-use of slots mechanism as a safeguard for airlines facing disruptions from conflict and fuel supply issues and protects network connectivity during recovery.
The Justified Non-Use of Slots (JNUS) mechanism allows airlines to skip using airport slots—normally required to be used 80pc of the time (the 80:20 rule)—without losing their historic rights to those slots in future seasons. It applies to unforeseen, uncontrollable, and temporary disruptions, treating unused slots as operated.
JNUS applies to events like unexpected airport/airspace closures, severe weather, or industrial actions (strikes). While airlines must generally operate 80pc of a series of slots, JNUS allows them to fall below this threshold for specific, justified reasons without losing their “grandfathered” rights for the next equivalent season.
Airlines must apply to the slot coordinator with evidence that the non-use was due to circumstances outside their control. Requests should be submitted as soon as possible, ideally before the scheduled operation, although some post-event applications may be accepted.
JNUS covers emergencies rather than foreseeable commercial issues. Alleviation is not permanent. It covers the duration of the disruption and is reviewed by coordinators to ensure it doesn’t become a mechanism for holding unused capacity indefinitely.
Coordinators, such as Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), evaluate these requests, especially regarding how long a situation is considered “unforeseen”. The 20pc allowance in the 80:20 rule is intended for flexible cancellations (including commercial ones), while JNUS specifically protects against unavoidable, external events.
The 80-20 rule requires airlines to use slots 80pc of the time to retain them with 20pc flexibility for cancellations due to weather or mechanical issues.
The mechanism prevents permanent loss of slots during extraordinary challenges and allows quick return to normal operations once conditions stabilise. IATA continues to inform governments on the issues faced by airlines in high-risk environments.
Nick Careen shared we all hope that INUS will not be needed for long. The faster this war ends the better. IATA will continue to keep governments who have the power to invoke jnus fully informed of the extraordinary challenges that airlines are facing. Until the situation stabilises and airlines can return to normal flying JNUS is a critical lifeline to protect the air connectivity that is important today and that will be even more important as we rebuild from conflict.
