The Airlines for America (A4A) association, which brings together a dozen US air carriers, has asked for the exemptions on the limits on the use of airport slots in some of the busiest airports in the north-east of the country to be extended until October 28. Now it will be up to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to decide whether or not to accept the request, extending the period initially granted from May 15 to September 15, 2023. 

Such waivers would be "in the best interests of customers as they will minimize disruptions and provide greater predictability for airlines and consumers. While maintaining operational reliability over the past few months has been a real challenge, it would also have been worse if FAA hadn't taken this action", A4A explained.

Typically, airlines must use the allocated slots at congestion-limited airports for 80% of scheduled flights. During the pandemic, when air traffic decreased, aviation regulators relaxed these requirements, allowing the use of time slots without limits or penalties. Now, given the shortage of airport and airline staff, the companies are asking for an extension of the exemption on usage limits to avoid delays and cancellations.