UK’s NATS has announced a 12-week consultation on a proposal to change two existing departures routes at Stansted Airport.
The changes are necessary to achieve network efficiency and reduce delays and will reduce the use of one route, while increasing the use of another.
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As part of the new proposal, the majority of daytime flights from Stansted Airport that currently fly on a route heading south from the airport will be switched to the existing route heading to the east.
The proposal will allow the flights to climb continuously, providing local efficiency benefits while reducing CO2 emissions and overall noise.
While the changes will eliminate regular daytime departures for a large area to the south of the airport, they will also double the number of flights on the existing route to the east.
The consultation, which is being supported by Stansted Airport, is primarily conducted through the airport’s consultative committee and engagement is open to the public to respond via the NATS website.
Stansted Airport public affairs head Chris Wiggan said: "We welcome the NATS-led consultation on the proposed airspace changes relating to Stansted which will enable people to find out more and give their views on the plans.
"The safe and efficient management of airspace in the south-east of England is an important issue and the consultation will provide an opportunity for people to play a full and active part in the process."
The proposed changes are in line with NATS’s London airspace management programme to modernise the air route system over London and the south-east.
The programme is essential for the delivery of the future airspace strategy (FAS), the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s blueprint for modernising airspace by 2020.
NATS London terminal control general manager Paul Haskins said: "Air traffic is increasing and modern aircraft are far more efficient nowadays so we need to modernise the airspace to match aircraft capability.
"Together with those being consulted on at other London airports, this proposed change is vital if we are to enable the success of the UK’s FAS."
