Brussels, 31/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - Representatives of the Association of European Airlines (AEA) have called on the European Commission to keep in place flexible rules on the allocation of timetable slots for the winter period 2009/2010. The regulation currently in force, which was adopted in May of this year for the period of summer 2009 (April-October), suspends the principle that an airline has the right to keep slots from one season to the next, as long as they are used to a level of 80% ("use it or lose it" principle). The compromise reached in June between the European Parliament and the Council allows this flexibility to be continued into the winter period, as long as it is preceded by a full impact assessment and that it is an integral part of a proposal to revise the framework regulation on allocating slots (regulation 95/93). According to the AEA, the number of air passengers fell by 9% in the first six months of 2009, and cargo traffic by 22%. (A.By./trans.fl)