Slot Hoarding: Unravelling Regulatory Immunity, Strategic Flight Cancellations, and the Competition

Document Type

Research Article

Abstract

The paper analyses how dominant airlines retain airport slots by cancelling scheduled flights, exploiting the slot-retention policies of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to strengthen their market power. The DGCA’s slot allocation framework includes an “80% use-it-or-lose-it” rule designed to prevent slot hoarding. However, gaps in enforcement allow dominant carriers to cancel flights without losing their slots. The paper argues that these strategic cancellations constitute an abuse of market dominance.

DOI

10.69953/lac.v5iII.643

Publication Date

1-29-2026

Journal

Lex Ad Coelum

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