CANSO Members respond to the economic crisis

In a letter to be published in CANSO News next week, CANSO Secretary General Alexander ter Kuile expresses his deep concern on behalf of his members for the situation facing air carriers during an unprecedented downturn. He goes on to point out that ANSPs themselves are not immune to the effects of the crisis, and that some are facing serious cash flow problems. He also reports that all ANSPs have launched aggressive short-term action rograms to seek efficiencies within their organisations. Ter Kuile explains that in order to keep charges steady, ANSPs have two options; cut operating expenses or change the level of service. Despite their best efforts, as operators of fixed infrastructure, it is near impossible for ANSPs to cut expenses in line with the current exceptional fall in air traffic. Therefore, if charges are to remain steady, it is imperative that airlines enter into consultations on new levels of service. If there is no significant change in operations, the ATM funding model will dictate major increases in future charges. The letter notes that ANSPs have delivered significant fuel savings in recent years and that further airspace efficiency improvements will offer the best opportunity for airlines to save more money. In order to deliver further improvements, CANSO is to raise its support for operational efficiency as a matter of urgency. Commenting on the letter, ter Kuile said: We felt it was important that ANSPs expressed their solidarity with aircraft operators during this difficult economic time, and listed the measures Members are taking to reduce their costs. But ultimately the greatest gains will come with reforms to both the ATM institutional environment and airspace design, and I call on airlines to support our campaign for the accelerated transformation of Air Traffic Management.