ADVERTISEMENTIf you are flying to the UK next year or transiting through one of its airports, you should enjoy a smoother journey.
The government is promising holidaymakers quicker flights and fewer delays as part of laws introduced this week to open up new and more direct routes, propel airport expansion and boost growth.
The changes will enable the largest redesign of UK airspace since it was first formed in the 1950s. At that time, there were only around 200,000 flights per year, compared to 2.7 million in 2024.
The new UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) will be fully operational by the end of 2025, according to the UK’s Department for Transport.
UK airspace redesign promises quicker flights
The UKADS’ initial focus will be on redesigning London’s airspace, with expansion at Heathrow airport alone expected to strengthen the UK’s status as a global transport hub and deliver major benefits for airlines and passengers.
Over a longer timeframe, the UKADS could design routes that support flight paths for new and emerging technologies such as drones and flying taxis.
“The measures will help secure the long-term future of the sector and make it more resilient to disruption,” says Aviation Minister Mike Kane. “The plans come as global forecasts show a near doubling of passengers and cargo in the next 20 years.”
Martin Rolfe, CEO of NATS, the air traffic service that will run UKADS, adds that the redesign will bolster an airspace network that is one of the busiest and most complex in the world.
“We handle a quarter of Europe’s traffic despite having only 11 per cent of its airspace, with one of the best safety and delay records anywhere,” he says.
“However, we have to modernise airspace if we are to maintain this level of performance as traffic grows towards 3 million flights per year.”
New UK airspace could cut flight emissions and noise pollution
As well as reducing flight delays, the UK government claims modernising the UK’s airspace will cut emissions per flight resulting from planes circling in the sky while waiting to land.
Redesigned ‘skyways’ could also allow planes to climb quicker during take-off and descend more smoothly, reducing noise and air pollution for residents who live along flight routes.
“Modernising our airspace is also one of the simplest ways to help reduce pollution from flying and will set the industry up for a long-term, sustainable future,” says Kane.
Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK, adds that improved resilience and reduced carbon emissions are a major priority for airlines.
“We look forward to working with ministers and all parts of UK aviation to complete a once-in-a-generation infrastructure programme as quickly as possible and ideally by the end of the decade, so we can continue delivering for passengers and cargo customers whilst meeting our commitment to net zero,” he says.
However, environmental groups say the overall effects of the overhaul will still be detrimental for the climate.
“There’s no doubt the aviation sector must change if we’re to tackle climate breakdown, but what’s needed is fewer flights, not more,” Friends of the Earth’s head of campaigns Rosie Downes said.
“It’s also likely that redesigning flight paths will expose even more communities to noise and air pollution, putting their physical health and wellbeing at risk.
“Instead of recklessly ploughing ahead with airport expansion in the midst of a climate emergency, the Government should be boosting investment in greener modes of travel like our crumbling rail network and disappearing bus services.”