Paris and Geneva - DSNA, the French Air Navigation Service provider, and IATA, the International Air Transport Association, have agreed to cooperate on the development of a French Air Traffic Management (ATM) Strategy (FAS).
In 2016, DSNA was the first European ANSP to cross the symbolic threshold of 3 million safely controlled flights. Over the next two decades, passenger demand is expected to grow by 58%, resulting in 68 million extra travellers flying to, from and within France in 2035. Servicing this demand, ensuring safety while reducing costs, CO2 emissions and delays, requires France to optimize its airspace and to modernize its air traffic management. Successful modernization will generate significant economic benefits. At present, air transport supports €106 billion in GDP and 1.2 million jobs in France. A fully optimized airspace system in 2035 could generate an additional €33 billion in annual GDP and 105,000 extra jobs every year.
In the context of its well-established collaborative decision making (CDM) process, DSNA commits to work in full transparency with its airspace customers and other key stakeholders on the FAS. The three main pillars of the FAS consist of airspace management, human resources management and technical modernisation of its ATM systems.
Maurice Georges, CEO of DSNA, explained: "I welcome this initiative, which together with our customers and partners will allow us to build solutions to face air traffic challenges now and in the future. By strengthening its collaborative decision making process in order to update its strategic master plan, DSNA is helping ensure France’s skies are ready to maximise connectivity and prosperity for all."
IATA Director-General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, said: "This partnership marks a defining moment in the relationship between DSNA and its customer airlines, and could signify the start of a change in how Europe’s skies are managed. DSNA have shown real vision to bring airlines into the strategic direction of air navigation service provision. Together, we can help create a plan which will bring great benefits to France. We look forward to working with DSNA to make the French ATM Strategy not only a success for France, but a model for other European ANSPs to follow, so that the work of airspace optimization can bring benefits to all of Europe’s citizens, and the goals of the Single European Sky can be achieved."
Some of the elements the French ATM Strategy include:
- Governance arrangements
- Strategic investment decisions
- Business continuity
- Airspace change for more capacity and more efficient routes, to reduce fuel burn and emissions
- Enhanced cooperation with European partners to accelerate the Single European Sky initiative
Planning for the French ATM Strategy is already underway. Collaborative working groups involving representatives from airlines, airports, and other aviation stakeholders will be set up covering safety, environment, flight efficiency, connectivity (including interoperability) and cost efficiency. The Governance Group will use the outcomes of their work in order to establish a validated and binding ATM Strategy for France.