Managing travel in the air

Key facts

  • upwards of half a million international visitors for the Games, the majority travelling by air
  • most will travel on scheduled flights, but some 700 extra charter flights expected
  • plus some10,000 business jet movements during the Olympics period

The aviation challenge

The Games present a significant challenge to the aviation community. London has good international airlinks, but airspace and airports are already busy and capacity will need to be carefully managed so as to meet the extra demand without causing congestion and delays. Many airports will need to adjust their procedures to cope with the extra demand, especially at the peaks, and to ensure the best possible experience for Games visitors. Additional measures are also needed to guard against possible security threats.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the en-route air navigation services provider (NATS), the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Borders Agency (UKBA) and aviation industry stakeholders to meet this challenge.

Further information about the work being carried out to address these issues is available from the CAA

Olympic airspace

New temporary areas of controlled airspace have been designed by NATS to create additional capacity and resilience and to increase the separation between scheduled and private flights.

At the same time, temporary airspace restrictions are planned in the South East of England during the London 2012 Games to help protect key Games locations from potential airborne threats.

We are confident that the planned measures are a proportionate approach, balancing the need to put in place appropriate and effective counter-measures against potential aviation based risks to the Games with the desire to minimise the impact on the aviation community.

Temporary coordination of airports for the London 2012 Games

New arrangements have been introduced under the Airports Slot Allocation (Amendment) Regulations 2011 to ensure that available air space capacity over the south east of England will be able to accommodate the maximum possible number of extra flights during the Olympic Games period, while minimising the risk of disruption or delay to scheduled air services.

Following two rounds of consultation, the Secretary of State for Transport has designated 40 airports whose operations will be coordinated between 21st July 2012 and 15th August 2012 inclusive.

During this period all flights operating in controlled airspace and intending to use a coordinated airport will need to obtain, and operate in accordance with, pre-booked take-off or landing slots. Slots will be allocated by Airport Coordination Ltd (ACL), the existing UK slot coordinator, in accordance with the relevant EU Regulation.

Discussions between NATS and airports and their users has taken place to determine the rate of operation that can be handled at each of these airports, and their capacities have been set accordingly. Based on this work, arrival and departure slots are now available for booking at most of these airports through ACL’s automated slot booking system.

Airport options for non-scheduled flights

Heathrow Airport will not be accepting non-scheduled flights during the Games period. But a wide range of other airports is available within easy reach of London for such flights. The Government has published a booklet to provide information on many of the choices available.

Pre-booked slots will be required during the Olympics period for all of these airports. Potential users are advised to contact the relevant airports to ensure that their needs can be met and to make their bookings early.