- Consultation launches on new airspace redesign serving Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports
- In-person sessions give communities an opportunity to learn more about proposed changes
- Airspace modernisation will enable smarter, more direct flight paths – reducing journey times and minimising environmental impact
- The Scottish Airspace Modernisation consultation opened on 20 October 2025, giving communities, political representatives and other stakeholders the opportunity to share their views on the proposed changes.
Scottish Airspace Modernisation is a coordinated change proposal in Scotland between Edinburgh Airport, Glasgow Airport and NATS. Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Airport are both responsible for the modernisation of their departure and arrival routes below 7,000ft, and NATS is responsible for connecting these routes into the higher-level airspace network above. It is part of a nationwide programme, required by Government policy and the Civil Aviation Authority’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy, to enable airspace quicker, quieter and cleaner flights within the UK.
Keir Mather, Minister for Aviation, Maritime, and Decarbonisation said: “We are fast-tracking airspace modernisation to deliver more reliable, efficient, and greener flights, while giving passengers greater choice and a better experience. It is fantastic to see Scottish airports and NATS reach this important milestone.
“Airports across the UK will be following in Scotland’s footsteps as we drive forward our plans for a modern aviation sector to support jobs, grow the economy and improve passenger experiences.”
The proposed changes focus on an area of approximately 61,000 km² that handles more than 200,000 flights annually. Modernising will enable a reduction of 18,000 tonnes of CO2e each year from deployment – approximately the emissions from the energy used by 5,000 households. More direct routing will save 79,000 nautical miles of flying a year – equivalent to flying 3.5 times around the world, or roughly 30 minutes of flight time saved each day.
To deliver this coordinated change, the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG) have prepared a single strategic plan called the Airspace Change Masterplan to improve efficiency, capacity and environmental performance of UK airspace.
Airspace is made up of a complex route network. Like motorways on the ground, these routes in the sky keep airspace users flying safely from point A to point B. However, much of the UK’s airspace was designed in the 1950s, when there were fewer flights and navigation technology was far less sophisticated. Today’s modern aircraft still fly these outdated routes, meaning they often fly further and longer than they need to. Airspace modernisation harnesses modern technology to make the route network more efficient, so that the airspace – part of the UK’s critical national infrastructure – is fit for today’s needs and ready for the next generation of aviation.
Below 7,000 ft, changes are proposed to the departure and arrival procedures at both airports, delivering a reduction in emissions per flight and reducing the overall adverse effects of noise for local communities by enabling continuous climb and descent. From 7,000ft to 25,500ft, NATS is proposing to introduce systemisation – the redesign of airspace into structured flight paths to improve efficiency, streamline the role of air traffic control and increase capacity, including making the airspace more accessible for a range of airspace users. These changes will integrate with Free Route Airspace, introduced in Scotland in December 2021, which allows airlines to fly their preferred routes above 25,500ft. This flexibility is a key driver in cutting fuel burn and CO2e emissions.
