Prospects of Air Traffic Management in South Eastern Europe

S. Steiner, T. Mihetec, A. Božičević: Prospects of Air Traffic Management in South Eastern Europe SANJA STEINER, Ph.D. Traffic Planning E-mail: [email protected] Review TOMISLAV MIHETEC, Ph.D. candidate Accepted: Sep. 8, 2009 E-mail: [email protected] Approved: July 5, 2010 ANA BOŽIČEVIĆ, Ph.D. candidate E-mail: [email protected] University of Zagreb, Faculty of Transport & Traffic Sciences Vukelićeva 4, Zagreb, Croatia PROSPECTS OF AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE ABSTRACT 1. INTRODUCTION In the forthcoming period the European air traffic The regulatory environment of the aviation industry management will handle double flight operations than has significantly changed over the last two decades. today – from 1.7 to 2.1 higher traffic level in 2025 than The origins of these changes lie in the aviation indus- in 2005 [1]. The problem of the European airspace try liberalization. The 1978 United States Deregulation fragmentation should be solved by the comprehensive Act was the most important event in the worldwide avi- dynamic harmonization programs, which can contrib- ation market, changing the face of civil aviation in the ute to effective increase of airspace capacity and in- United States. The required permission for airlines to crease of air transport efficiency. The main objective serve any given route was dismantled with the Deregu- of the development strategy refers to the implemen- lation Act. As it followed, Europe launched its three Lib- tation of reformation processes of the European air eralisation Aviation Packages during last two decades, 1 traffic management system through functional ATM gradually liberalised the aviation market of the mem- regionalization. Encouraged by the Single European ber countries [3]. Air transport had been traditionally Sky project, and through airspace de-fragmentation, a highly regulated industry, performed dominantly by numerous projects have been initiated by Eurocontrol national flag carriers and state-owned airports. The in- in cooperation with the European Commission. One of ternal market has removed all commercial restrictions them is establishing of the Functional Airspace Block for airlines flying within the European Union, such as in South Eastern Europe. The implementation of regu- restrictions on the routes, the number of flights or the latory, institutional and legal framework of the Single setting of fares, while that is not the case when flying 2 European Sky FAB would ensure the expansion of the to countries outside EU4. The creation of the single Eu- European air traffic market to South Eastern Europe, ropean market brought significant benefits to airspace counting over 500 million potential users [2]. Croatia users. Since 1993 the number of airline routes has and all the other countries in the region have to adopt increased by 170 percent within EU, ensuring greater 3 the provisions of ECAA Agreement and EU air trans- choice of destinations and direct flights for passen- port acquis in their national legislation. gers. Between 1993 and 2006, the number of routes This paper specifies the main determinants of the with more than two carriers rose by 300 percent [4]. strategic development as well as the key factors which Due to the EU enlargement in 2004, the air traffic in influence the European air traffic dynamics. The paper accession countries doubled in just two years. elaborates the indicators and significant elements of International aviation has traditionally been gov- the required ATM reforms in South Eastern Europe on erned by bilateral agreements between individual the samples of six ANSPs according to ECAA Agree- countries, restricting the number of airlines on the ment and EU acquis. routes concerned, the number of flights and the pos- sible destinations. In order to overcome this limitation KEYWORDS the European Community is extending its policy over Single European Sky, European Common Aviation Area, Air its borders. In June 2005 transport ministers agreed Traffic Management, South Eastern Europe, Functional Air- on a roadmap for the development of external aviation space Block policy. The extension of a single market to neighbour- Promet – Traffic&Transportation, Vol. 22, 2010, No. 4, 293-302 293 S. Steiner, T. Mihetec, A. Božičević: Prospects of Air Traffic Management in South Eastern Europe ing countries is a key EU objective. As the objective of grated aviation market with 500 million potential pas- EU external policy is the creation of Common Aviation sengers [10]. Area by 2010, in June 2006 the ECAA agreement was The European Investment Bank in cooperation with signed. This agreement integrates partner countries in the Nordic Aviation Resources launched in 2000 the South Eastern Europe – (Albania, Bosnia and Herze- Air Traffic Infrastructure Regional Study which served govina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and as the basis for investment project in the transport Kosovo) into a single market [5]. The ECAA partner sector. The key findings were presented as: differ- countries will adopt the EU air transport regulations. ences in aerospace organisation in the countries, lack A competitive and sustainable air transport indus- of integration of the ATM infrastructure in the region try needs a high performance ATM system. This will be (as area control centres and non optimal routes and achieved by the integration of the European airspace sectors are designed to meet national requirements), by means of dynamic harmonisation programmes [6]. large amount of airspace used for military purposes, The strategic development programmes of the Euro- insufficient interoperability as result of national indus- pean airspace refer to the solving of the problem of trial interests in investment decisions (area control fragmented airspace by means of ATM regionalisation, centres have limited technical and operational com- increasing airspace capacity and traffic efficiency [7]. patibility with neighbours), shortage of air traffic con- Thus the 2004 adaptation of the Single Sky legislation trollers in the region, on-job training as result of very brought legal basis for a range of activities in the ATM diverse environment (design and equipment of area system. The European Commission has mandated Eu- control centres) [11]. rocontrol to provide technical assistance and develop Membership of South Eastern European countries the implementing rules within the SES5 framework. in the European institutions has to be observed in or- The technological dimension of SES has been articu- der to analyse the Institutional framework of air traf- lated by SESAR6, speeding up the innovations in avia- fic control and aviation safety in the SEE Region. The tion industry. The fragmentation issue will be solved ICAO8 and the ECAC9 define the safety and the security through the Functional Airspace Block concept, where standards for their members, audit compliance and air traffic would be based on operational requirements, provide training. All countries analysed are members regardless of the existing boundaries [8]. of four European institutions with complementary mandates addressing cross-border issues in air traffic 2. REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IN control safety and security. All countries observed are SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE members of JAA10 even though most of its functions are delegated to EASA11, except the liaison between 12 The European air transport sector which can be de- EASA and CAA of non EASA JAA member states and fined as airports, airlines, Air Traffic Management and for training functions. EASA competences have been the manufacturing industry, comprises more than 130 expanded to safety regulation of aerodromes, air traf- airlines, operating across over 450 airports with some fic management and air navigation services, and for 13 60 air navigation service providers. Air transport sec- the total system approach to civil aviation safety . All tor represents a complex and unique global network SEE countries participate in the work of Eurocontrol linking people, playing a vital role in further integration which is mandated to integrate air traffic control across and development of the enlarged Europe. Air transport Europe. Eurocontrol provides technical expertise for makes a contribution to the European economy with aeronautics and flight across Europe and is working more than 3 million people employed in the EU and a on the building of a homogenous Pan European air contribution of EUR 120 billion to the European GDP. traffic management system. Eurocontrol CFMU14 man- According to Eurocontrol CFMU7 data, there are on ages the flow of 44 states which participate in ECAC in the average 28,000 flights on a daily basis in Europe. order to ensure that the user demand does not over- The number of flights in Europe reached in 2008 an load the capacities of the existing infrastructure. Euro- all time high (over 10 million flights), the peak being control CRCO15 provides Pan European cost-recovery with 34,476 flights. The growth under the ECAA Agree- system that funds air navigation facilities and services ment counted over 6.6 million passengers travelling and supports Air Traffic Management developments. between the EU and the South Eastern Europe in 2007 Eurocontrol manages Aviation Safety and Traffic Con- (a 5% increase over the 2006 figures) [9]. trol II project, which provides assistance to countries The extension of the European air transport market in order to fulfil the future international, regional and in South Eastern Europe will have positive outcome national responsibilities,

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