UK creates new body for airspace efficiency improvement

The UK Department for Transport will create a new organization, the UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS), to improve airspace efficiency. This body will focus on modernizing flight routes, starting with London’s airspace, which is the busiest in the UK. Current airspace management methods are outdated, dating back to the 1950s. The DfT aims to implement modern navigation technologies to reduce fuel consumption, carbon emissions, and flight times by minimizing holding patterns and improving routing. The government and the Civil Aviation Authority are collaborating with air traffic control provider Nats to establish UKADS by the end of 2025. A consultation on airspace change processes will take place by September.