IATA is actively involved in a range of activities ensuring a transparent, sustainable, flexible and reliable slot allocation system: 

  • Working with governments and regulators to promote and align policy with the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines (WASG).
  • Closely cooperating with Airports Council International (ACI) and the Worldwide Airport Coordinators Group (WWACG) to ensure slot policy and processes evolve, and at the same time remain a practical, harmonized, neutral, non-discriminatory and effective solution to managing airport capacity shortages. 
  • Supporting the implementation of one single global standard.
  • Running the twice-yearly Slot Conference to allow airlines to meet with schedule facilitators and slot coordinators face-to-face to review their slot portfolio and finalize their future schedules.

Slot Policy Working Group (SPWG)

The Slot Policy Working Group (SPWG) is an IATA forum of Member airlines established to address matters such as the development of and amendments to the WASG and provide guidance on industry slot matters to IATA.

This group brings together airlines representing different business models and regions of the world to discuss and define response to key issues, policies, emerging trends as well as to identify and set out the priorities for action. The group is also the airline industry’s voice for maintaining the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines (WASG).

SPWG Membership
The SPWG is drawn primarily from the IATA Member airlines, but also includes Non-IATA airlines as rapporteurs. The SPWG term runs for three years, starting in September. The next opportunity for nomination is for the 2025 term.
> Membership: Slot Policy Working Group (pdf)
> Terms of Reference: Slot Policy Working Group (pdf)

Worldwide Airport Slot Board (WASB)

Worldwide Airport Slot Board (WASB) is a joint forum of airports, airlines and slot coordinators/facilitators to address slot-related matters such as the development and approval of amendments to the WASG on identifying ways to improve the slot allocation system and processes and suggesting areas for policy development.

The WASB mandate is to:

  • Propose areas of policy development;
  • Consider ways of improving the procedures;
  • Review and analyze future trends and technology;
  • Approve changes to the WASG, and
  • Establish Airport Slot Working Groups (ASWGs). These groups are comprised by airports, airlines and coordinators to develop technical recommendations to WASB.

WASB Membership
The WASB is comprised of seven airports, seven airlines, and seven facilitators/slot coordinators appointed by ACI World, IATA and WWACG for a three-year term.
> Membership: Worldwide Airport Slot Board (pdf)
> Terms of Reference: Worldwide Airport Slot Board (pdf)

Need more information?

If you want to find out/know more about IATA’s work on slots, please contact us: slots@iata.org.