“One of the most common objections I hear when discussing slot coordination is that it creates constraints. It’s an understandable concern, but in my view it actually gets the relationship the wrong way around.
Coordination doesn’t create scarcity. Scarcity already exists.
Every airport has limits. Runways have limits. Airspace has limits. Terminal capacity has limits. Aircraft parking has limits. Whether those limits are formally recognised or not, they are still there.
The real question isn’t whether constraints exist. The real question is how those constraints are managed.
Without coordination, demand naturally gravitates towards the most commercially attractive periods. Airlines understandably want the busiest times of the day. As more and more demand accumulates around those peaks, congestion increases, delays become more common and operational performance starts to suffer.
At first glance, that can look like growth. More flights are being scheduled and everyone appears to be getting access. The challenge is that the inefficiencies don’t disappear. They simply emerge elsewhere in the system through delays, holding patterns, increased aircraft taxi times, increased fuel burn, schedule buffers, higher operational costs, passenger misconnections and a poorer experience for passengers.
Coordination takes a different approach.
Rather than allowing congestion to sort itself out on the day, it provides a framework for managing demand against the capacity that is genuinely available. It allows airports, airlines and operators to work from a realistic understanding of what can actually be delivered.
Importantly, the goal is not to restrict growth. The goal is to maximise achievable capacity while protecting operational performance.
Good coordination helps airports extract more value from existing infrastructure. Before spending billions on new runways, terminal expansions or additional facilities, airports can better understand how efficiently their current assets are being used and where opportunities for optimisation exist.
That doesn’t mean investment can be avoided forever. Most airports will need to expand as demand continues to grow. But coordination can help ensure those decisions are made strategically rather than reactively, optimising the timing of investment to align with demand and operational needs.
As our industry continues to face growing demand and increasing pressure on infrastructure, I believe the conversation needs to evolve. Because when coordination is done well, it doesn’t restrict growth. It creates the certainty and efficiency that sustainable growth depends upon.”
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Darren Batty is the Coordination Manager for ACL Asia Pacific, leading slot coordination activities at Sydney Airport. With more than 25 years in the aviation industry, he works with airlines, airport operators, regulators, and industry stakeholders to optimise airport capacity, improve operational performance, and support sustainable growth.
