‘No technically and economically feasible alternative is available.’ With that line, the Government has approved a narrow exemption to keep halon 1211 fire extinguishers on board a defined list of Defence aircraft and specific Loganair planes. The Statutory Instrument (SI 2025/1276) was made on 4 December, laid before Parliament on 8 December, and comes into force on 30 December 2025 with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers.

The decision focuses on a safety‑critical part of aviation: portable extinguishers used to protect cabins and crew compartments. It resets the end date in Annex VI (row 4.2) of the assimilated Ozone‑Depleting Substances Regulation (EC 1005/2009) for these aircraft only, reflecting what ministers say is a temporary, tightly bounded need.

Loganair’s derogation runs to 31 December 2026. Defence aircraft are split across two schedules: one group must meet the standard by 30 June 2027, while a second set-specialist platforms used for safeguarding national security-has a later deadline of 31 December 2040.

For northern travellers and crew, especially across the Highlands and Islands where Loganair maintains lifeline links, the measure is pitched as continuity. It keeps certified kit on board while operators source, certify and fit replacements that match performance and cost requirements without pulling aircraft from service.

This was not a Whitehall‑only call. Consent from the Scottish and Welsh Governments underscores the devolved footprint of the change, given Scotland’s regional carriers and remote communities, and the number of defence assets based well away from London, including across the North of England.

Defra confirmed the legal basis via the Ozone‑Depleting Substances regime, now part of assimilated UK law post‑Brexit. Parliamentary Under Secretary Emma Hardy signed the instrument on 4 December after consultation required under Article 25D(9) of the Regulation.

The Explanatory Note says a full impact assessment was not produced because ‘no, or no significant, impact’ is expected on the private, voluntary or public sector. Environmental advocates will nevertheless note the trade‑off: halon 1211 is an ozone‑depleting agent that regulators have sought to phase out for years.

Scope matters here. The derogation covers portable extinguishers for the protection of cabins and crew compartments only, and only for aircraft expressly listed in the schedules titled Defence aircraft and Loganair aircraft. It does not reopen the door for wider halon use.

For operators and engineers, the headline is time, not a free pass. Loganair has until the end of 2026; Defence operators face a split timetable of mid‑2027 and end‑2040. The expectation is that alternatives will be planned in during regular maintenance cycles rather than through disruptive groundings.

The instrument extends to England, Wales and Scotland. It takes effect on 30 December 2025, with the Explanatory Memorandum published alongside the Regulations on legislation.gov.uk. For passengers, the cabin experience should be unchanged in the near term, even as the compliance clock starts ticking.