Heathrow Slots Open Up,
Reports Metro Swissport

More corporate and VVIP slots have become available at London Heathrow airport as airlines downsized following the terrorist attacks of September 11, according to Metro Swissport Executive Aviation at Heathrow.

"We noticed the improvement two to three weeks afterwards, and now we can get corporate slots virtually at the drop of a hat," a Metro Swissport spokesman said. "At the moment there is a fair chance that clients will get the slot that they want, but the more prior notice that we get, the better it will be."

Swissport UK and Metro Business Aviation Ltd signed a ground handling and marketing co-operation deal in August that allows them to handle aircraft up to and including VVIP Boeing 747s.