The UK Government has given Loganair extra time - until 31 December 2026 - to keep halon 1211 handheld extinguishers on a defined set of aircraft, with the move formally consented to by Scottish and Welsh ministers. The statutory instrument was made on 4 December, laid on 8 December, and takes effect on 30 December 2025.

The shift lands just ahead of a long‑trailed deadline. European regulators say that by 31 December 2025 in‑service aircraft must carry “halon‑free portable fire extinguishers”; the UK Civil Aviation Authority sets the same cut‑off here and notes exemptions sit with Defra rather than the CAA.

The derogation is tightly drawn. Only the specific registrations listed in Schedule 2 - ATR 72‑212A and ATR 42‑500 airframes used by Loganair - are covered for cabin and crew‑compartment equipment through 2026, not the airline’s whole fleet.

For northern travellers who rely on short hops rather than hub airports, that matters. Newcastle–Southampton and Inverness–Manchester are among the everyday Loganair links where reliability underpins commuting, hospital appointments and weekend family trips. This change removes a late‑December scramble to swap units or risk cancellations.

Defence fleets also get breathing space: types including A400M Atlas, Chinook, Merlin, P‑8A Poseidon, Shadow and Wildcat can retain halon 1211 extinguishers until 30 June 2027, while the C‑17 Globemaster is permitted until 31 December 2040.

Ministers grounded their decision in Article 13(4) of the assimilated EU ozone regulation, recording that no technically and economically feasible alternative exists for these cases and confirming consultation took place before signing. In practical terms, this buys time without scrapping the phase‑out.

Halon 1211 hasn’t been manufactured new since the mid‑1990s, so aviation relies on recycled stocks; the EU tightened its ozone rules in 2024 to accelerate removal while keeping a path for narrowly defined safety uses.

Replacement kit is arriving on the market with approvals. Recent certifications allow non‑halon handheld units filled with Halotron BrX on certain aircraft types - a sign that retrofit options are maturing as operators line up parts, paperwork and downtime.

The regulation applies in Great Britain and names DEFRA minister Emma Hardy as signatory. Officials say no significant impact is expected - a claim that will be tested as regional operators schedule change‑outs through 2026 and the RAF plans for the later dates on heavy lifters.