BRISTOL International Airport has called on regulators to make slots available at major European airports to allow viable regional services.
Managing director John Parkin claimed Bristol was being hampered in its growth because slots were not available in important cities including Frankfurt.
He said the airport would generate enough passengers to give airlines full loads but carriers were unable to offer realistic schedules.
Parkin said: “In the US, in Chicago O’Hare for example, airports set aside 20% of slots for regional services.
“It is time that the Government and the European Commission looked for something similar.”
He said there was no point in airlines getting slots which they could not use to offer attractive services, especially to business travellers.
Bristol opens a £27m new terminal in March. It is using this facility to persuade airlines to launch new international services to add to current Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris and Dublin flights.
Parkin conceded the Government had recognised the importance of regional airports in its transport white paper but said more needed to be done.
The white paper sets out proposals to allow council-owned regional airports to borrow to enhance facilities, engage in initiatives for improved public transport access and co-operation between airports.
n Bristol International, see page 27