Warning UK skies are running out of room as UK enters busiest day
Air traffic controllers are warning that UK skies are running out of room as they prepare to handle more than 8,800 flights today, which is likely to be the busiest of the year.
The number will be an all time record for UK airspace and there is a need for ‘drastic modernisation’ of the way aircraft are handled, say controllers.
Their call for change comes as the government launches a consultation on the future of the UK’s aviation industry.
Air traffic controllers expect to manage a record 770,000 flights in UK airspace this summer, 40,000 more than last year, which will stretch the National Air Traffic Control Service (NATS).
Director Jamie Hutchison told the BBC: "In the last few weeks we have already safely managed record-breaking daily traffic levels, but the ageing design of UK airspace means we will soon reach the limits of what can be managed without delays rising significantly."
The Department for Transport estimates that without changes to the way in which aircraft are handled there will be 3,100 days of flight delays by 2030, 50 times more than in 2015, along with 8,000 flight cancellations a year.
The government wants the public to submit ideas on a wide range of subjects, from airport bag check-in in town centres to noise reduction targets.
The six themes it will consult on over the coming months are:
Customer service
Safety and security
Global connectivity
Competitive markets
Supporting growth while tackling environmental impacts
Innovation, technology and skills
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "Our new aviation strategy will look beyond the new runway at Heathrow and sets out a comprehensive long-term plan for UK aviation.
"It will support jobs and economic growth across the whole of the UK.
"Our vision puts the passenger at the heart of what we do, but also recognises the need to address the impacts of aviation on communities and the environment."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports