European Single Sky

The grand plan to create one single European air traffic management system seems yet again to be in trouble more than 10 years after it was officially conceived.

It was in October 2001 that the European Commission adopted proposals for a Single European Sky, to create a Union regulator for air traffic management within the EU, Norway and Switzerland.  No more numerous national air traffic control zones but one command looking for the safest most economic way for a civil aircraft to pass through the upper airspace.  It was considered as the single largest pan-European project promising tangible benefits to European mobility, competitiveness and the environment.

To say that the airlines and their representative bodies are exasperated with progress is probably an understatement.  An unprecedented single statement was posted last week by the following bodies:

Association of European Airlines (AEA), European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA), European Regions Airline Association (ERA) and International Air Carrier Association IACA
 
“European airspace users are negatively impacted and therefore extremely concerned by the lack of achievements: the Single European Sky needs to be put back on track by stronger leadership from the European Commission and enforced commitment by the Member States” was the opening statement! www.ebaa.org

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