Air traffic control - Eliminating bottlenecks in German airspace with technology
According to the head of air traffic control, Arndt Schoenemann, the bottlenecks in German airspace can only be eliminated in the long term with improved technology. "We cannot pump as many staff into our control centers as we like in order to cover the demand for air traffic control services," the head of the federally owned German Air Navigation Services (DFS) told the German Press Agency. Instead, airlines and control centers would have to invest in reliable data connections that could replace a large part of the verbal communication between controllers and crews. "We need to move away from the central role of voice radio," said Schoenemann.
DFS does not expect air traffic over Germany to fully return to the pre-coronavirus level of 2019 until 2027. According to calculations, this is expected to be 92% in the coming year. Nevertheless, the upper airspace over southern Germany in particular, which is controlled from Karlsruhe, is already at 120 to 130% of its pre-crisis level and therefore at the limits of its capacity.
Air traffic control is currently testing the new data technology on two departure routes from Düsseldorf and Stuttgart, as Schoenemann reported. Aircraft equipped accordingly would be given preferential routing there - contrary to the usual international rules. He appealed to the airlines to make the investments in the fleet, said the head of DFS. Air navigation services are increasingly dependent on funding from European Union research programs to invest in their own infrastructure, said Schoenemann.
The air traffic control chief defended himself against criticism of the level of German air traffic control charges. In terms of route charges, Germany was one of the five cheapest air navigation service providers in Europe. In contrast, take-offs and landings reflect the increased costs resulting from the German airport system with its large number of small and medium-sized airports. Ultimately, however, the direct airlines' criticism is primarily directed at the German air traffic tax, airport costs and the aviation security fee charged for passenger and baggage checks. The pilot costs only make up a very small part of the ticket price.
Ultimately, however, the fees are the same for all providers, said Schoenemann. "I am therefore convinced that direct airlines such as Ryanair, Wizz or Easyjet will also increasingly return to the German market in the coming years, which they have left to Lufthansa to a certain extent after coronavirus."
Schoenemann confirmed plans to raise take-off and landing fees less than would actually be necessary in the coming year. According to regulatory requirements, DFS must begin to recoup the approximately 1.2 billion euros in lost revenue from the coronavirus period in 2024 in order to balance its budget in the long term. Higher air navigation charges are therefore to be expected for a period of up to eight years. As a first step, the increases are to be curbed in the coming year, explained the DFS CEO, without naming a sum. No decision has yet been made on further relief for the airline industry, as the EU Commission's Europe-wide regulation of air navigation services must first be awaited.
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- Arndt Schoenemann, the head of DFS, the German Air Navigation Services, mentioned that the German Airspace currently has bottlenecks that can only be resolved in the long term through advancements in technology.
- The German Press Agency reported that DFS is conducting tests on new data technology in two departure routes from Düsseldorf and Stuttgart to alleviate the pressure on air traffic control in Southern Germany, particularly in Karlsruhe.
- Karlsruhe's upper airspace, controlled by the German Air Navigation Services, is already at 120 to 130% of its pre-crisis level, posing a significant challenge due to the Coronavirus' impact on air traffic and putting strain on the existing capacity.
- Schoenemann emphasized that Germany is one of the five cheapest air navigation service providers in Europe, with maintenance costs and fees for airlines being a primary focus of criticism.
- Air traffic control in Germany is projected to gradually return to pre-Coronavirus levels by 2027, according to DFS, leading to an expected increase in take-off and landing fees to recoup the losses from the pandemic, thus affecting the overall air traffic fee structure.
Source: www.stern.de
