Eurocontrol is warning operators of "severe disruption" to the French and Swiss air traffic management (ATM) systems at the end of February due to the latest version of Europe's air traffic services route network (ARN) being implemented.
The revised route network, which will be introduced on 25 February, will involve a comprehensive re-organisation of European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) airspace, primarily affecting France and Switzerland.
The re-organisation is designed to optimise the ECAC en route and airspace structure. The latest component of the three-phase programme, is expected to result in a 10% to 15% increase in capacity. In some areas of France there will be even higher increases, in the region of 20% to 30%, according to Eurocontrol.
It warns, however, that this capacity increase will be preceded by a temporary disruption and a capacity reduction, introduced for safety reasons. "Such a comprehensive re-organisation of the airspace cannot be implemented without a temporary disruption to the ATM system, while the air traffic controllers and pilots absorb and learn the essentials of the new airspace infrastructure," says Eurocontrol.
For safety reasons, the capacity of the new system in France will be reduced by up to 20% from 25 February for a two- to four-week period and gradually increase thereafter. In Switzerland, greater reductions in the capacity of the airspace will be introduced, but for a shorter period.
"As a result of the reductions in capacity, the airspace users can expect and will experience delays," warns Eurocontrol. France and Switzerland will monitor the situation and attempt to minimise any delays, although safety is the over-riding concern, says Eurocontrol.
The first phase of the version three ARN was introduced in the Nordic states last October when delays in excess of four hours were experienced by operators.
Source: Flight International
