Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) from six North European countries have decided to work together to implement Free Route Airspace in the entire airspace over Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Latvia.

The airspace area includes the functional airspace blocks, DK-SE FAB (Denmark and Sweden) and NEFAB (Norway, Finland, Estonia and Latvia).

With Free Route Airspace the airlines will be able to plan the shortest or optimal route and thus reduce fuel consumption as well as flying time. The impact of the lower fuel consumption will be a substantial reduction in emission of CO2 and other environmentally unfriendly gasses and particles.

The Free Route Airspace will generally be open for flights over 28500 feet, but it is possible for the individual ANSPs to give access to the service even below this level.

The ANSPs behind the joint programme is Avinor (Norway), Estonian ANS (Estonia), Finavia (Finland), LFV (Sweden), LGS (Latvia) and Naviair (Denmark).

“Our common initiative will bring Air Traffic Control in Northern Europe to a new level and is a substantial step towards harmonisation of Air Traffic Management in Europe implementing the intentions in EUs Single European Sky programme, says Tanel Rautits, CEO of Estonian ANS and chairman of the steering board.

The technical and procedural preparations have already been started, and the partners have set November 12. 2015 as target date for the full implementation of Free Route Airspace.

For more information please contact Tanel Rautits CEO of Estonian ANSP ( eans@eans.ee )