The US Department of Transportation has issued a show-cause order that tentatively allocates thrice-weekly frequencies both to Delta Air Lines for its proposed service between Atlanta and Cape Town and to United Airlines for a route from Washington DC to the South African city. Delta is seeking to operate its Cape Town service using 306-seat Airbus A350-900s, the DOT order indicates, while United will use 257-seat Boeing 787-9s. The DOT had previously intended to allocate four US-South Africa frequencies between Delta and United. The two US majors filed supplements to their applications and further responsive pleadings, arguing that thrice-weekly proposals would better serve the public interest, and the DOT asked South African regulators for two additional frequencies to accommodate increased demand. South African regulators on 22 June told the DOT that the two extra frequencies would be granted upon certain conditions being met. The two frequencies would be added to a total of 21 in the current bilateral agreement. The DOT says it is "separately addressing" South African regulators' concerns, and that it has "received assurances from the government of South Africa that two extra frequencies shall be considered as espoused in [their current] agreement". United's president Brett Hart states: "We extend our sincere gratitude to the Department of Transportation, as well as the numerous government and community leaders, airports, customers and employees who supported this application, for recognising the tremendous benefits to tourism, commerce and diplomacy that a direct link between Cape Town and Washington DC provides. These new direct flights will promote competition and provide affordable and consistent service to Africa for US travellers." Data dating back to August 2003 shows no airlines operating a nonstop DC-Cape Town route in that period. South African Airways operated a nonstop Atlanta-Cape Town route for eight months beginning in October 2003. United currently flies between Newark and Johannesburg. Delta serves the same South African city from Atlanta.

American Airlines has received a Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation-certified (CORSIA) batch of sustainable aviation fuel at San Francisco International airport. Finnish energy firm Neste delivered the batch of MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel as part of a pilot programme to certify SAF as a CORSIA-eligible fuel that can be used by an airline to meet its emissions obligation under CORSIA, the carrier says. ICAO's CORSIA is a carbon-offset and carbon-reduction scheme to lower CO2 emissions for international flights, helping to curb the aviation impact on climate change. Until now, no airline in the world has taken delivery of CORSIA-certified SAF, according to American Airlines. Compliance with the CORSIA sustainability criteria requires an independent attestation by an ICAO-approved Sustainability Certification Scheme (SCS), it adds.

The European Commission plans to reinstate its 80:20 airport slot allocation rule on 30 October, but will keep in place a clause that enables airlines to dip below the threshold if their operations are affected by events such as epidemiological emergencies or widespread political unrest. Early on in the Covid-19 pandemic, the Commission relaxed the rules and instead of requiring airlines to operate 80% of their slots at slot-constrained airports in order to hold onto them the following season, they were only required to use half. The threshold rose to 64% from 28 March 2022, but this is set to expire on 29 October. The Commission has now proposed returning to its 80:20 rule on 30 October but prolonging the use of its "justified non-use of slots" (JNUS) tool, which was created during the pandemic. The tool makes exceptions for airlines unable to meet the slot requirements as a result of disruptions caused by epidemiological emergencies, natural disasters or widespread political unrest. The proposal also suggests enhancing transparency in awarding JNUS exceptions, and strengthening co-operation between slot co-ordinators in EU member states to ensure consistency. "Demand for air traffic is clearly back, and the time has come to return to normal slot-use rates to ensure the efficient use of airport capacity, with fair and competitive access for airlines, to the benefit of passengers. But we must make sure we are better prepared for the unexpected," states EU transport commissioner Adina Valean. "The justified non-use of slots clause has provided us with a particularly effective tool to manage crisis situations. Maintaining this tool will give us sufficient flexibility – an insurance – to act in case of a new deterioration of the public health situation, or indeed if we are faced with further fallout from the Russian war in Ukraine." As a last resort, the Commission has also proposed holding the power to lower the use rate in the event that air traffic levels fall below 80% of 2019 levels for four consecutive weeks "due to Covid-19, another epidemiological situation, or as a direct result of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine". The Commission is also proposing measures to restore air connectivity between the EU and Ukraine "when the time comes". These include a 16-week recovery period before slot-use requirements become applicable, once Ukrainian airspace has reopened, as well as the possibility to adopt a Delegated Act to lower the use rate on routes between the EU and Ukraine. Airports body ACI Europe has welcomed the proposals, and is urging the EU Council and European Parliament to support them and expedite approval. "Airports understood and accepted the need for slot waivers for airlines during the pandemic. But there is no question these waivers also came with forgone connectivity and forgone revenues for airports," states ACI Europe director general Olivier Jankovec. "Going back to the normal slot-usage rule while still giving airlines the flexibility and protection they need when faced with travel restrictions or the impact of the war on specific markets is the right thing to do now that air traffic is finally recovering." Airlines for Europe has likewise welcomed the Commission's proposal, adding: "In light of continued pandemic uncertainty and new external factors which could disrupt air travel, we also welcome the proposal to set a lower slot use rate for future seasons, should this prove necessary." If adopted, the relief provisions in the Commission's proposal will remain in place until 26 March 2024.