European Commission to make changes to ground handling provision; slot usage: reports

European Commission (EC) reportedly plans to compel airports to allow at least three ground handling providers to operate services at airports, up from the current two, according to a Financial Times Deutschland report. The EC is also reportedly planning to compel airlines to sell off their ground handling units to create more competition. The regulation proposal will reportedly be published in late Nov-2011. In a separate proposal, the EC also reportedly plans to toughen the rules on when airlines lose their take-off and landing slots. As part of the plan, airlines would lose a slot if they use it less than 85% of the time, compared with 80% currently.