newstodate.aero
OCT 21, 2003 (newstodate): Norwegian ATM has seen a strong decline in traffic through Norwegian airspace to and from Arctica 1 over Russia.
Arctica 1 has been designed to allow trans-polar flights through Russian airspace between Europa and Northeast Asia, cutting flight time and operational costs.
-We have seen traffic volumes down in 2003, notably from this summer, says Knut-Bjarne Klaussen, Avinor ATC sector chief.
Thus, the number of monthly flights has dropped from 76 in early ´03 to the 40ties, or even as low as in the 20ties during the summer.
-Arctica 1 has so far been used mainly by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, while we have still not seen any Far Eastern operator, he says.
In August, Arctica 1 was used on a total of 24 flights, 18 of which were by BA, and five by Virgin Atlantic. In September, the were 28 passings including 19 by BA, and nine by Virgin Atlantic.
It is generally assumed that while all operational issues concerning Arctica 1 have long been settled, and the airlane declared open for traffic since the end of last year, the crucial issue of airlines' payments for the use of Russian airspace still remains unsolved.
A figure at 200-250 million euro per year exctracted by Russia from Western airlines under the pretext of "commercial agreements" has been estimated by industry sources.
EU-sources earlier told newstodate that a solution was expected by "early autumn". The same sources now say that the optimism has since then faded again.
Arctica 1 has been designed to allow trans-polar flights through Russian airspace between Europa and Northeast Asia, cutting flight time and operational costs.
-We have seen traffic volumes down in 2003, notably from this summer, says Knut-Bjarne Klaussen, Avinor ATC sector chief.
Thus, the number of monthly flights has dropped from 76 in early ´03 to the 40ties, or even as low as in the 20ties during the summer.
-Arctica 1 has so far been used mainly by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, while we have still not seen any Far Eastern operator, he says.
In August, Arctica 1 was used on a total of 24 flights, 18 of which were by BA, and five by Virgin Atlantic. In September, the were 28 passings including 19 by BA, and nine by Virgin Atlantic.
It is generally assumed that while all operational issues concerning Arctica 1 have long been settled, and the airlane declared open for traffic since the end of last year, the crucial issue of airlines' payments for the use of Russian airspace still remains unsolved.
A figure at 200-250 million euro per year exctracted by Russia from Western airlines under the pretext of "commercial agreements" has been estimated by industry sources.
EU-sources earlier told newstodate that a solution was expected by "early autumn". The same sources now say that the optimism has since then faded again.