The UK Government has unveiled plans to modernise the UK’s airspace in a bid to cut flight delays, reduce emissions and make air travel a “better experience for all”
Plans to revamp the UK’s outdated airspace system in a bid to slash flight delays and emissions are being considered by the Government.
A new consultation proposes the creation of a UK Airspace Design Service, comprising aviation experts working with airports to modernise flight routes. The new body will initially focus on overhauling London’s congested airspace, which still relies on navigation systems from the 1950s.
By embracing modern technologies, officials believe aircraft can fly more efficiently, reducing the need for holding patterns and enabling quicker landings at busy airports. Aviation minister Mike Kane said: “UK airspace is one of the nation’s biggest invisible assets, but it’s been stuck in the past a 1950s pilot would find that little has changed.”
“Our once-in-a-generation creation of a UK Airspace Design Service will not only drive forward airspace modernisation and create a system that’s fit for the future, but it will help create quicker routes, ease delays and reduce harmful emissions making air travel a better experience for all.”
The move comes after easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, highlighted the environmental impact of inefficient airspace use, citing increased fuel consumption, carbon emissions, and flight times. The airline has slammed the current state of affairs as a “universal issue” plaguing Europe, pinpointing the UK as the hotspot for the “greatest inefficiencies” in its operations.
The carrier is grappling with a series of operational headaches, including aircraft having to ascend in increments post-takeoff, convoluted flight paths, and postponed descentsall to ease the burden on air traffic control staff. EasyJet has thrown light on the environmental cost of these inefficiencies, revealing an AI-powered study that attributes a 10.6% hike in its CO2 emissions over the year ending July to these very issues.
Rob Bishton, chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority, has stressed the importance of modernising airspace, declaring: “Modernising our airspace is crucial to delivering a more efficient, sustainable and resilient system.” He further outlined the authority’s commitment, stating: “The proposals we’ve outlined today set out the next steps in our ongoing efforts to progress the modernisation of UK airspace.”
Mr Bishton emphasised the collective industry strides towards a sleeker, greener airspace system that serves the interests of passengers, airlines, and local communities alike.
Meanwhile, Martin Rolfe, the chief executive of ATC provider Nats, has welcomed any push to expedite the UK airspace modernisation programme, especially given the complexity and congestion of the skies above London and the South East, which accommodate the frenetic activity of five major airports and several smaller ones.
“This is the next big step in modernising UK airspace following the work we have already completed in other parts of the country and we welcome the Government’s consultation on how best to deliver it,” he said.
The consultation will be open until December 17.
