Adjust font size:

Slot Management at Sydney Airport

The Sydney Airport Demand Management Act 1997 was enacted on 17 November 1997. The Act enshrines a cap of 80 hourly movements and establishes a framework for a slot management scheme.

Detailed slot management and compliance schemes were tabled in Federal Parliament in March 1998 and June 1998 respectively. The Slot Management Scheme came into effect for the scheduling season beginning 29 March 1998. The Compliance Scheme came into effect on 25 October 1998.

What is a slot?

A slot allocated under the scheme permits a specified aircraft movement at a specified time on a specified day. All commercial and private aircraft require a 'Slot' to land or take-off at Sydney Airport.

Why have a Slot Management Scheme?

The establishment of a slot system in tandem with the runway hourly cap through legislation provides a clear long term guide to airlines and airport planners. It also ensures that the peak hour movements can be managed in a non-discriminatory and efficient manner.
Without a planning mechanism for runway movements at the airport congestion would increase imposing a significant cost on airline operators (eg increased holding patterns) airline passengers (eg delayed arrival or departure) the airport operator (eg inefficient use of the infrastructure) and the community generally.
As most interstate operations hub through KSA the efficiency dividend from improved planning techniques at KSA has flow-on network benefits for other Australian airports.
The Slot Management Scheme is delivering for Sydney Airport:
- less clustering of flights in airline's schedules;
- greater predictability for investment;
- fewer delays and as a consequence fewer delays at other airports;
- reduced time spent by Airservices Australia rescheduling airlines thereby increasing resources available for core responsibilities;
- guaranteed access for NSW regional communities;
- less fuel waste leading to savings in costs and reduced emissions; and
- airlines rescheduling movements to improve the balance of arrivals and departures at certain peak times.
The Department oversights administration of the Scheme which allows airport management and the airlines to take ownership of the problem of slot management and the solutions. Access to Sydney is not an unlimited resource and better airport performance is dependent on improved cooperation and planning. The Department chairs the Compliance Committee that assesses breaches of the slot scheme.
Day to day administration of the Slot Scheme is undertaken by Airport Co-ordination Australia (ACA) - http://www.coordaus.com.au/. Guidance on the criteria for obtaining a slot should be sought from ACA as soon as a requirement for a slot is known.

Sydney Airport Demand Management Amendment Act 2008

The primary purpose of the Sydney Airport Demand Management Amendment Act is to clarify the operation of the slot management regime and allow resolution of the administrative issues identified by the Australian National Audit Offices report into the Implementation of the Sydney Airport Demand Management Act 1997 tabled in March 2007. Principally, it will provide for a slot management approach that is consistent with international practice and a slot based on the scheduled arrival and departure time of an aircraft at the gate. There will be no change to the maximum movement limit, which will continue to be a measure of aircraft movements on and off the runway.

The Act received Royal Assent on 12 July 2008. The substantive provisions commence 6 months from the day of Royal Assent or earlier by Proclamation.

Resources

Further Information

For further information please contact the Airports Branch:
Ph (02) 6274 7111, email: regulation@infrastructure.gov.au

[Back to Top]