European Route Changes Ready For 2009

Source: Aviation Week

"Eurocontrol has reached agreement on a swath of route changes that will be introduced in March, aimed at reducing congestion and improving efficiency. The route changes for 2009 represent the second stage of a wider three-year airspace redesign effort. The first raft of the redesign was introduced this year, and the last will be implemented in 2010, said Joe Sultana, who heads Eurocontrol’s Airspace Network Planning & Navigation unit. The three-year plan — known as ARN Version 6 — is intended to improve 1,600 routes and 60 airspace sectors. This will reduce the overall European route network by 0.3% — making it just 3.35% larger than if the most direct routes were used. Eurocontrol estimates this will reduce fuel burn buy 72,000 tons a year. These benefits are evenly divided between the three stages." La source.