Press Release
NATS implements another step of the Borealis Alliance Free Route Airspace Programme
02-12-2021
Released: December 2021
Today (2 December 2021), NATS, the UK’s air navigation services provider, implemented the latest steps in the Borealis Alliance Free Route Airspace (FRA) Programme, and the first deployment of FRA in the UK.
The introduction of FRA allows airlines to fly the most optimal route rather than using predefined, established network routes in over 150,000nm2 of airspace, the single largest airspace change ever undertaken in the UK.
It will reduce cost, fuel burn, flight time and is anticipated to save over 12,000 tonnes of CO2 every year.
Reynir Sigurdsson, Executive Director of the Borealis Alliance said: “With the introduction of Free Route Airspace over large parts of the UK, airlines can now take the most cost effective, fuel efficient and timely routes from Europe’s boundary with Russia to the north Atlantic in the west.
When fully implemented, the Borealis Alliance FRA Programme will enable airline and business aviation customers to plan and take the most cost effective, fuel efficient and timely routes across the entire airspace managed by Borealis Alliance members saving time, money and fuel.“
The Borealis Alliance is a collaboration of nine Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) in northern Europe. One of the objectives of the Alliance is to facilitate cooperation between the Members, for the benefits of its customers, making a contribution to the operational performance of Members´ air traffic services.
The FRA programme is one such area of cooperation. It is anticipated that the initiative will enable savings of around 120,000 tons of fuel burnt by airspace users, which equates to a reduction of almost 375,000 tons of CO2 emissions across the skies over Northern Europe up to 2030, equivalent to almost € 180 million of performance benefits.
Sigurdsson added: “The ongoing collaboration between Borealis members to further refine and improve their airspace for the benefit of customers and the flying public demonstrates our continued commitment to make the vision of a Single European Sky and the EU Green Deal a reality.”
Notes to editors
Formed in 2012, the Alliance is a voluntary collaboration between the ANSPs of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Its vision is to be the leading ANSP Alliance that enables its members to drive better performance for stakeholders through business collaboration.
Its main initiative is the Borealis Free Route Airspace programme, an award-winning initiative which will enable airline and business aviation customers to plan and take the most cost effective, fuel efficient and timely routes across the entire airspace managed by Borealis members saving time, money and fuel.
More information can be found at www.borealis.aero.
