By Martin Banks - 28th November 2011
Member states are trying to escape their single European sky commitments
European airlines
Four leading European airline associations have called on member states to "stop procrastinating" on the single European sky project.
The associations, including the Association of European Airlines (AEA), say EU countries should "start finally delivering on their obligations".
They claim that the current economic climate makes the single European sky, which is designed to improve the efficiency of European air traffic management (ATM), "more important than ever".
In a joint statement, the groups said the fragmented system is having an "enormous detrimental" impact on airlines, their passengers and the environment in terms of time, fuel burn and money.
It says, "Member states are trying to escape their single European sky commitments and the commission has instructed the majority of countries to revise their performance plans."
Airlines says the Europe-wide targets set by the commission as a "bare minimum" to implement the "long-overdue" improvements of the European ATM system.
However, they claim that member states have already watered down these plans and "only a few come close to fulfilling the agreed performance targets".
Airlines also said they "regret the lack of meaningful" implementation of the "functional airspace blocks" (FABs) which bring together blocks of national airspace and are therefore an essential part of the project.
Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus, secretary general of AEA, said, "The concept of FABs currently seems to be just 'window dressing' by member states.
"Airlines need urgent deliverables. Member states must stop procrastinating and make progress towards a genuine single European sky."
His comments are echoed by John Hanlon, secretary general of the European low fares airline association, who said, "The current economic climate should be an added incentive, but member states are now using this as an excuse to stall the project."
"Member states need to go back to the drawing board and work together with the commission to revise their performance plans."
Further comment came from Sylviane Lust, director general of the international air carrier association, who said, "For far too long member states have unduly benefited from the full cost-recovery mechanism which has reduced the incentive to boost efficiency.
"As a result, airlines and consumers have had to pay for the system's inefficiencies. It is time for member states to show a real commitment to reform."
Mike Ambrose, director general of the Euroepean regions airline association, commented, "It is important that the public knows that there are no insurmountable technical obstacles to the early implementation of the single European sky: speedier progress is constrained only by lack of political will."
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