20 May 2016
The Board of Airline Representatives of Australia (BARA) today released a new policy paper, Safe and efficient air navigation services, outlining a path to increased efficiency and predictability in safe aircraft operations.
“Australian aviation has an excellent safety record. But with passengers and flights expected to double over the next 15 years, we need a performance-based air navigation system that can adapt to current and emerging technologies,” said Barry Abrams, Executive Director of BARA.
“The improvement pathways identified in BARA’s policy paper will reduce flight times and increase on time performance. They will also reduce fuel burn and environmental impacts and lower industry costs, improving airfare affordability. The dividends of these efficiencies will flow through to passengers, the community and airlines,” Mr Abrams said.
BARA’s four improvement pathways for air navigation services are:
“Realising these improvements will require Australia’s international airlines to have access to increased operational capacity and the matching of aircraft movements with available airport infrastructure. In the air, we need ‘on the day’ best possible flight trajectories and more sharing of defence and civilian airspace.
“To reduce the industry’s environmental impacts around the major international airports, especially in Sydney, BARA is calling for the use of advanced air navigation technologies that reduce engine noise and fuel burn. Greater operational flexibility for ‘new generation’ quieter aircraft is also necessary,” Mr Abrams said.
BARA’s views on air navigation services follow its previous two policy papers detailing commercial principles and reforms to promote efficiency in Australia’s airport infrastructure and jet fuel supply. The combined benefits of more efficient airports, jet fuel supply and air navigation services are substantial. They can lower industry costs by hundreds of millions of dollars a year while improving services to passengers and airfreight providers.
“Consistent with its commercial principles for all aviation infrastructure service providers, BARA is seeking to link the prices charged by Airservices Australia to the delivery of services and outcomes to airlines.
“BARA will continue to work with all industry participants, including the Australian Government, in supporting the development of a world-class air navigation system that will foster continuous improvements in the industry over the years to come”, Mr Abrams said.
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Download the media release and questions and answers