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		</div><p>Virgin Atlantic has admitted flying planes that are “almost empty” in order to keep take-off and landing slots despite demand plummeting due to the coronavirus.</p>
<p>Chief executive Shai Weiss said the airline is being “forced” to continue with flights because rules about slot allocation have not been relaxed.</p>
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<p>Slots at capacity-constrained airports such as Heathrow can be worth millions of pounds.</p>
<p>The European Union operates a so-called “use it or lose it” rule which means airlines must use 80% of their slots or risk them being taken away in the following year.</p>
<p>The regulation has been removed for routes serving mainland China and Hong Kong due to the outbreak of Covid-19, but remains for other destinations.</p>
<blockquote><p>Common sense must prevail</p></blockquote>
<p>Airlines claim it is inappropriate to apply the rule amid a huge reduction in passenger numbers.</p>
<p>Transport Secretary Grant Shapps wrote to the European Commission on Monday, urging it to allow “flexibility and adaptability” in relation to slots.</p>
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<p>Aircraft being flown near-empty to keep slots “would be entirely out of step with both the United Kingdom’s and the European Union’s climate commitments”, he added.</p>
<p>Mr Weiss said: “Passenger demand for air travel has dramatically fallen due to Covid-19 and in some instances we are being forced to fly almost empty planes or lose our valuable slots.</p>
<p>“Given the almost unprecedented impact on global passenger demand, the UK slot co-ordinator and the European Commission need to now urgently relax the rules for the whole summer. Common sense must prevail.”</p>
<p>Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, the industry body representing UK-registered airlines, said: “Carriers are being forced to fly half-empty planes or risk losing that take-off slot in future, seriously affecting their ability to plan ahead.</p>
<p>“It makes no sense whatsoever under these unique and challenging circumstances to force airlines to fly empty aircraft, wasting money and fuel and creating carbon emissions.</p>
<p>“We urgently need a temporary suspension of the rule – as happened during the financial crisis – to allow airlines to respond to demand and use their aircraft efficiently.”</p>
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