Sharp rises in the number of airline flights originating from airports in the U.S. and Europe are presenting FAA and Eurocontrol officials with some daunting challenges. Chief among these is the question of how to squeeze more capacity from airports and ATC route systems that in some places already seem stretched to the breaking point. But somewhat surprisingly, instead of joining forces to confront mounting delays and airspace congestion, the U.S. and Europe are on divergent paths, with the U.S. following its so-called Flight Plan 2004-2008 for ATC modernization and Eurocontrol moving aggressively to implement the Single European Sky (SES) initiative.
It is a race that neither side can afford to lose, especially in the face of higher traffic levels caused by steadily improving economies and the influx of regional jets. Air traffic in the U.S. and Europe has returned to pre-9/11 levels. On both sides of the Atlantic, airlines now seem poised for another period of sustained growth. The main challenge in the next several years for Europe will be shaping the ATC route system to deal with an end to the national boundaries that have impaired its efficiency in the past. The Single European Sky plan is in full swing, with a number of important contracts and milestones coming in the months and years ahead.
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