“U. KINGDOM NATS CAN BE EXAMPLE FOR WORLD” – JEANNIOT

“The privatisation/corporatisation of NATS (the National Air Traffic Service) is an important event and achieving this successfully will set a good example not only for other European ATCs but also around the world,” said IATA Director General Pierre J. Jeanniot, speaking at the 13th. biennial Financial Times World Aerospace & Air Transport Conference in London, 21 July.

“The overriding principle is of course safety. But safe ATC services can be delivered much more efficiently, rapidly and economically than they are being delivered in Europe today!” continued Jeanniot. “We should end up with ATC entities which are operated as businesses, with good management, high safety and efficiency – and where productivity gains are rewarded, rather than looking only at the bottom line.”

“In Europe, the ATC problems are well known. Although some of these problems are either technical or operational, we believe many result from an inappropriate institutional structure for the provision of services. We have consistently argued that regulatory and service provision activities must be separated, not just at the national, but also at the European level. There is a strong case for a centralised European Regulator dealing with safety, economic and airspace design matters.”

“A re-grouping of Europe’s national ATC entities into only 4 or 5 should be encouraged. And, we in the airlines favour a corporate structure which is “not for profit,” perhaps based on a cooperative model and financed largely through bond issues, with only a minimum of profit-seeking shareholders, if any. Such a structure can still guarantee the necessary efficiencies.”

“Above all, we need to ensure that the ultimate aviation product consumers, the travellers and shippers, get the safest, most efficient value-for-money aviation infrastructure.”