Europe Signs Air Traffic Anti-Congestion Deals

Europe has launched a long-term project to upgrade its increasingly stressed air traffic control system by signing initial contracts worth EUR1.9 billion euros (USD$2.7 billion).

The deals were signed by 16 firms, institutes or airports and the SESAR partnership between the European Commission and the Eurocontrol air traffic organization, to seek to prevent congestion of the European sky.

The companies include Spanish technology firm Indra, Airbus, Honeywell and French defense electronics group Thales.

"In the context of a global recession, the financing and timely development of SESAR has become literally vital," EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani said in a statement.

The aim of the program, worth EUR2.1 billion, is to unify Europe's often-fragmented air management system and increase by three times its ability to handle air traffic by 2020.

The scheme should also improve air safety by a factor of 10, the Commission said, and reduce air fuel consumption by 10 percent.

"Unless these efforts deliver their results on time, the European ATM (air traffic management) system will be unable to face the projected growth of air traffic," the Commission said.