The UK government has announced plans for a shakeup of the country’s airspace, aimed at improving flight efficiency and reducing delays for holiday-makers.
The new changes tabled in Parliament aim to facilitate the development of more direct flight routes, speed up airport expansion, and enhance economic growth.
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These changes are claimed to mark the “largest redesign of UK airspace since it was first formed in the 1950s”, when the annual number of flights was approximately 200,000. In 2024, there were 2.7 million flights over the UK.
The UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) is set to become fully operational by the end of 2025, under the management of NATS (En Route).
Martin Rolfe, CEO of NATS, said: “The UK’s airspace network is one of the busiest and most complex in the world. We handle a quarter of Europe’s traffic despite having only 11% of its airspace. However, we have to modernise airspace if we are to maintain this level of performance as traffic grows towards 3 million flights per year.”
“We look forward to working with the government and the CAA to finalise the details regarding the best way to implement the plan and the processes required to ensure UKADS is successful,” Rolfe added.
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By GlobalDataThe modernisation of airspace is expected to increase capacity, thereby supporting job creation in the aviation and tourism sectors, while also minimising delays and emissions associated with aircraft circling while waiting to land.
The redesigned flight paths will enable aircraft to ascend quickly during take-off and descend more smoothly, minimising noise and air pollution for communities living under routes.
UK Aviation Minister Mike Kane said: “Redesigned ‘skyways’ will turbocharge growth in the aviation industry, not least by boosting airport expansion plans and supporting job creation, driving millions into the UK economy.”
“Modernising our airspace is also one of the simplest ways to help reduce pollution from flying and will set the industry up for a long-term, sustainable future,” Kane added.
The initial phase of the UKADS project will concentrate on redesigning London’s airspace, with the planned expansion of Heathrow expected to generate more than 100,000 new jobs, stimulate economic growth, and enhance the UK’s position as a “global hub” for aviation.
UKADS could develop routes over a longer timeframe that accommodate emerging technologies, including drones and flying taxis.
Karen Dee, Chief Executive of AirportsUK, the trade association for UK airports, said: “The UK’s airspace is a critical piece of our national infrastructure and these proposals will help modernise it, bringing forward new technologies and routing methods that will make it more efficient, cleaner, and provide passengers with a better experience.”
“Airports have led the calls for this approach to be adopted and we are pleased that government is fast-tracking it for implementation by the end of the year. Our members, firstly in the London area and then perhaps more widely across the UK, look forward to getting to work with UKADS to deliver the changes that will make our airspace fit for the 21st century,” she told the Department for Transport.
The DfT will collaborate with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ensure the quick delivery of these new routes and provide independent oversight of the UKADS deployment.
UK Civil Aviation Authority chief executive Rob Bishton said: “Modernising our airspace infrastructure is key to enabling the growth of the sector and helping mitigate its impacts.
“Our work with government and stakeholders on the creation of the UK Airspace Design Service is another important step in the journey to streamline and improve confidence in the ability to deliver airspace change decisions.”
These initiatives aim to secure the long-term future of the aviation sector and enhance its resilience to future disruptions. Projections indicate a near doubling of passenger and cargo traffic over the next two decades.
A recent modernisation project in the south-west of England is estimated to save 12,000t of emissions annually, according to DfT.
