UK: Aviation minister commits to tackling ‘long overdue’ airspace modernisation

Tackling airspace inefficiencies is “long overdue” and will happen “under my watch”, a minister has pledged. Aviation minister Mike Kane said UK airspace management is “an analogue system in a digital age”, and improvements will lead to “quicker, quieter, cleaner flights”. He was speaking at an easyJet sustainability event at Cranfield University, where the airline said inefficient use of airspace contributes to increases in fuel consumption, carbon emissions and flight times. The carrier described the problem as a “universal issue” across the whole of Europe, but the “greatest inefficiencies” for its operations are in the UK. Among the causes are aircraft being required to climb in steps after take-off, complex routing, and delaying descents to manage the workload of air traffic control (ATC) staff. Kane told the audience he and easyJet CE Johan Lundgren have “banged on about this for years” while Labour was in opposition. He said he wants to develop “a Britain where the negative impacts of aviation are minimised”.<br/>