Scottish Airspace Modernisation is a coordinated change proposal in Scotland between Edinburgh Airport, Glasgow Airport and NATS – the UK’s main provider of air traffic services. 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.
The UK airspace network is one of the busiest and most complex in Europe, handling around a quarter of the continent’s air traffic despite having only 11% of its airspace. Today, more than 2.4million aircraft fly through UK skies every year, carrying over 300 million passengers.
But the current system is outdated. Just like our roads and railway networks, airspace requires critical updates to keep people moving efficiently. Through modern technology and aircraft, and creating a more efficient airspace design, we can help reduce delays, improve safety and deliver quicker, quieter and environmentally cleaner flights.
Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Airport are responsible for redesigning the airspace up to 7,000ft, including the modernisation of their departure and arrival routes. NATS is responsible for connecting these routes into the wider UK airspace network above 7,000ft.
To redesign the entire UK airspace network is especially complex as many airports share their airspace with neighbouring airports. A proposed change at one airport might have an impact on another nearby, and these effects need to be assessed and balanced.
To coordinate this, the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG) has developed a Masterplan, which is a coordinated implementation plan for airspace changes across the UK. The Masterplan divides the programme into four clusters based on location: Scotland, Manchester & northern England, southwest England and southeast England.
To find out more about Scottish Airspace Modernisation and submit a response, visit: www.scottishairspacemodernisation.co.uk
This consultation runs from 20th October 2025 until 23:59hrs on the 25th January 2026.
