newstodate.aero
Copenhagen, JAN 16, 2003 (newstodate): Since the end of 2002, some 70 flights per months by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have taken Arctica 1 westbound between Tokyo and London.
Which is still a modest beginning, considering the huge volume of air traffic between North-west Europe and North Asia.
-So far we have see no Japanese airlines nor e.g. Air France or KLM on the lane, Knut-Bjarne Klaussen, Norwegian ATC sector chief, told newstodate from Bodoe, North Norway. What we can conclude at this stage is that all operational and procedural issues concerning Arctica 1 and other polar routes have been solved, and it is now a purely operational and commercial issue whether to use the options or not.
It is common knowledge that among many factors crucial to the early success of the new traffic lanes which will cut down on flying time and reduce fuel costs, the issue of en-route fees collected by the Russian authorities ranks high. Meaning that the Russians consider it only fair to receive a significant share of the potential savings and benefits reaped by operators in the form of quite high fees.
Also important is the fact that Russia still demands that operators apply for flights on the Arctica-routes quite some time in advance, probably some two weeks ahead of actual flight. So, Arctica 1 is not an option for a last-minute change of flight plans in response to sudden changes in the environment around a commercial flight.
According to Klaussen, the flights performed so far on Arctica 1 have all run according to schedule, with no operational problems, and without any diversions.
Exactly the issue of diversions and alternate airports has been the topic of heated debates within aviation circles including Airbus which still maintains that an unexpected need to seek closest airport on the perma-frost ground underneath Arctica 1 might prove hazardous due to immense constraints in an infrastructure marked by crucial lack of facilities to cater to the needs of an unexpected aircraft, its crew and hundreds of freezing passengers..
The yet-to-come commercial break-through for the transpolar routes may perhaps be spurred in case of the outbreak of a war in Iraq, or other similar disastrous events: -Of course, the potentials of Arctica 1 and other trans-polar routes are attractive to flights between, say, Europe and Japan, and these flights will normally take a flight route far from Iraq and Middle East airspace. But in the event of a closure to commercial air traffic of this airspace, congestion may occur in other sectors rendering Arctica 1 a viable option to more operators, says Klaussen.
Anyway: the lane is now cleared for traffic for those willing to pay the toll..
Which is still a modest beginning, considering the huge volume of air traffic between North-west Europe and North Asia.
-So far we have see no Japanese airlines nor e.g. Air France or KLM on the lane, Knut-Bjarne Klaussen, Norwegian ATC sector chief, told newstodate from Bodoe, North Norway. What we can conclude at this stage is that all operational and procedural issues concerning Arctica 1 and other polar routes have been solved, and it is now a purely operational and commercial issue whether to use the options or not.
It is common knowledge that among many factors crucial to the early success of the new traffic lanes which will cut down on flying time and reduce fuel costs, the issue of en-route fees collected by the Russian authorities ranks high. Meaning that the Russians consider it only fair to receive a significant share of the potential savings and benefits reaped by operators in the form of quite high fees.
Also important is the fact that Russia still demands that operators apply for flights on the Arctica-routes quite some time in advance, probably some two weeks ahead of actual flight. So, Arctica 1 is not an option for a last-minute change of flight plans in response to sudden changes in the environment around a commercial flight.
According to Klaussen, the flights performed so far on Arctica 1 have all run according to schedule, with no operational problems, and without any diversions.
Exactly the issue of diversions and alternate airports has been the topic of heated debates within aviation circles including Airbus which still maintains that an unexpected need to seek closest airport on the perma-frost ground underneath Arctica 1 might prove hazardous due to immense constraints in an infrastructure marked by crucial lack of facilities to cater to the needs of an unexpected aircraft, its crew and hundreds of freezing passengers..
The yet-to-come commercial break-through for the transpolar routes may perhaps be spurred in case of the outbreak of a war in Iraq, or other similar disastrous events: -Of course, the potentials of Arctica 1 and other trans-polar routes are attractive to flights between, say, Europe and Japan, and these flights will normally take a flight route far from Iraq and Middle East airspace. But in the event of a closure to commercial air traffic of this airspace, congestion may occur in other sectors rendering Arctica 1 a viable option to more operators, says Klaussen.
Anyway: the lane is now cleared for traffic for those willing to pay the toll..