european airspace on track to deliver significant cost savings

european airspace on track to deliver significant cost savings

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11 October 2011
EUROPEAN AIRSPACE ON TRACK TO DELIVER SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS
CANSO, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation, together with its airline and airport partners both in
Europe and beyond, recognise that a safe, efficient and cost-effective air traffic management system is
crucial to the continued growth of air transport.
European Member States were asked to submit plans by June 2011 to the Commission for the Single
European Sky (SES) II Performance Scheme that will deliver incremental savings of 3.5% to airspace
users each year for the period 2012-2014.
CANSO Director General Graham Lake said: “Managing and improving the safe and efficient growth of the
air transport system is extremely complex. The EU SES II Performance Scheme provides the industry with
new tools to address the challenges of managing airspace costs on a Europe wide basis.
“Remarkable progress has already been made by our Members, the airspace managers, in coordinating,
harmonising and consolidating efficiency plans that will deliver real savings, and agreeing on mechanisms
for their delivery, measurement and assessment.”
CANSO’s European ANSP members are working on additional refinements to the National Performance
Plans that have been developed in order to deliver the full saving which is in excess of 10% over the
period 2012-2014.
The independent Performance Review Body (PRB) report celebrates the fact that for the first time, 26
national and two regional Functional Airspace Block (FAB) Performance Plans have been developed in a
harmonised way and in consultation with airspace users. These Performance Plans constitute a very solid
and encouraging base for future improvement.
Peter Griffiths, Chairman of the PRB notes the achievements of the Performance Plans in the opening
statement of the Final Report: “After three years of work, and for the first such planning cycle, the results
are significant: there is only a little way to go in order to reach the agreed EU-wide targets. The plans will
need to be fine tuned accordingly.”
Mr Lake continues “Air Transport is truly a global infrastructure made up of interdependent stakeholders.
Airports, Aircraft Operators and Air Traffic Management organisations each have a responsibility to work
to identify and deliver system improvements. The Global financial crisis is driving both the political will and
economic necessity to address these difficult challenges. CANSO is already exploring options for the
development of collaborative global targets that we can work together with our fellow stakeholders to
achieve.”
CANSO and its members are ready and willing to explore every opportunity to further transform the
performance of our industry.”
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Timothy Hoy
Head of Communications
0031 (0)23 568 5380
[email protected]
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
CANSO – The Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation – is the global voice of the companies that
provide air traffic control, and represents the interests of Air Navigation Services Providers worldwide.
CANSO members are responsible for supporting over 85% of world air traffic, and through our
Workgroups, members share information and develop new policies, with the ultimate aim of improving air
navigation services on the ground and in the air. CANSO also represents its members’ views in major
regulatory and industry forums, including at ICAO, where we have official Observer status.