Japan to revamp air traffic control to handle 2m flights

Japan will rework its air traffic control system by spring 2025 to accommodate 2m flights per year, up 10% from current capacity, anticipating a rebound in travel demand after the end of coronavirus-era travel restrictions. The transport ministry will reorganize its four regional control centers into three, with one covering all high-altitude travel above 10,000 kilometers and two for low-altitude flights, split between east and west. Japan wants to reduce the number of flights passed from one center to another as they move between regions. The change is expected to let the network manage at least 2m flights yearly compared with 1.8m now, including foreign and domestic travel as well as overflights that do not touch down in Japan. The government also plans to create a digital system by fiscal 2024 to consolidate information such as takeoff and landing times, flight routes and weather, based on standards from the ICAO, a United Nations agency. The data will be shared in real time with airlines, airport operators and government bodies such as the Defense Ministry. Airlines will be able to adjust flight plans based on congestion levels, letting air traffic control operate more efficiently in large urban centers where departures and arrivals are concentrated. The planned upgrades respond to a global rise in demand for air travel, particularly from fast-growing emerging economies. The IATA expects passenger numbers to return to pre-COVID-19 levels in 2024. With annual growth steady, "dealing with airspace congestion is a challenge shared by a number of countries," a Japanese transport ministry source said.<br/>