Aviation Minister Robert Courts and London City Airport’s CEO, Robert Sinclair. London City was
one of the airports to receive a share of the initial funding in 2021.
The government has announced further funding to redesign the UK’s airspace to create quicker journeys and cut emissions as the industry seeks to build back better following the global pandemic.
Further funding of £3.7 million has been made available to support airports in reducing journey times, pollution and flight delays. The new funding is on top of £5.5 million in government investment that was announced last year and brings the total funding to £9.2 million.
With plans to modernise the UK’s airspace for the first time since the 1950s, the funding will support airports in developing new, more efficient flight routes that make use of modern technology, such as performance-based navigation, which will enable aircraft to fly more precise routes.
Commenting on the additional funding and the UK’s airspace modernisation programme Mark Swan, Head of the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG), said: “This programme is a critical national infrastructure project for the UK and will deliver benefits across the country – increasing efficiencies in the routes aircraft fly to supporting the industry to deliver its net zero targets. The additional funding maintains momentum behind the programme following its remobilisation and we look forward to our continued engagement with the government, CAA and airspace change sponsors in delivering airspace modernisation for our country.”
Karen Dee, the Airport Operators Association’s Chief Executive, added: “This additional funding will give airports some essential support to continue this crucial programme of upgrading the UK’s airspace and deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys.
“The UK’s airspace is our invisible infrastructure in the sky, vital to the UK’s connectivity and to the delivery of government agendas like Global Britain. Airspace modernisation is also essential to support aviation as it aims to build back better, so that a recovery to pre-pandemic passenger levels can be delivered with a reduce impact on the environment.”
