Low Fare Airlines and SESAR team up

For this contract, the association has secured the confirmed participation of three ELFAA airline members: Ryanair, Jet2.com and Flybe. This marks the latest addition of external partners to SESAR, the European ATM modernisation programme.

The mission of the SESAR Programme is to enhance the capacity, safety and efficiency of the European ATM network while reducing the environmental impact per flight by 10%. To do so, the SESAR Joint Undertaking built an effective partnership between airlines, airports, manufacturing industry and Air Navigation Service Providers. Apart from its 15 members and Eurocontrol, the SESAR Joint Undertaking has so far concluded contracts with staff associations, major airlines, business and general aviation, as well as air transport associations. The academic world is integrated through a dedicated work package and the SESAR Scientific Committee.

"Having ELFAA on board SESAR is essential. We need the involvement of all air transport actors to ensure applicability and acceptance of the SESAR technologies and procedures.

The diversity of our members and partners is the key to success of our programme and ELFAA helps us to close one more gap", said Patrick Ky, Executive Director of the SESAR Joint Undertaking.

ELFAA members currently account for 35% of intra-European air traffic. Under the present contract, the associations and its selected partners will contribute to the execution of the SESAR work programme by providing technical expertise and by preparing, performing and analysing live or simulated flight trials.

John Hanlon, Secretary General of ELFAA, on the award of the contract said, "ELFAA has for some time already been closely engaged with the SESAR Joint Undertaking and we share the same objectives. ELFAA and SESAR are about increasing safety, efficiency and capacity with reduced impact on the environment. SESAR is what we need, and we will contribute to make SESAR an affordable reality."

The SESAR Joint Undertaking seeks support in all airspace users' domains which interact with the Air Traffic Management system. This will include:

− Flight operations, in particular in the area of fuel conservation;

− Flight planning processes and supporting systems;

− Aircraft system specifications (avionics);

− Production control processes (OCC) and supporting systems;

− Datalink;

− Production planning processes (aircraft scheduling, network management) and supporting systems;

− Crew training (including licensing, recruitment, etc.);

− Cost and revenue evaluation.