This report was commissioned jointly by the DETR and HM Treasury. It explores the feasibility of using auctions to allocate airport slots, and the relative costs and benefits of auctions compared to the current slot allocation regime. The terms of reference for this study were:
- to review the options for using market mechanisms, such as auctions, for the allocation of slots at congested airports;
- to develop an outline of how a slot auction might work in practice; and
- to consider the possible benefits of such arrangements relative to the existing allocation regime.
The report can be downloaded here. A PowerPoint presentation summarising the main findings can be downloaded here.