AIRSPEED READ - NATS (En Route) Plc – Consultation on changes to NERL License terms – Closes on 1 October 2025

The Department for Transport (DfT) is proposing to modify the NATS (En Route) plc (NERL) licence to establish a UK airspace design service (UKADS) that will allow NERL to make, or develop with a view to making, an airspace change proposal to the CAA and sponsor those proposals through the CAA’s airspace design process (CAP 1616).

The proposed amendments aim to modernise UK airspace and primarily enable:

+ The reduction of carbon emissions;
+ Improved efficiency;
+ Increased safety; and
+ An integration of new technologies, such as drones.

Both the DfT and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has long aspired toward airspace modernisation through the Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS, CAP 1711 Part 1 AMS 2023-2040). However, as airspace design is currently sponsored and carried out by individual airports and air navigation service provides, this has led to problems in the delivery of airspace change proposals (ACPs) given the multiple overlapping ACPs with separate sponsors, complicating and slowing progress in the area. The aim, therefore, is to provide a more holistic approach and primarily to make UKADS a function of NERL.

The DfT is seeking views on the proposed changes and you can have your say by visiting the Consultation page, here. The Consultation closes at 11:59pm on 1 October 2025.

Click here to read more.

Related Expertise

Legal and practical considerations concerning cross border repossessions of leased aircraft

Aviation

"Pump and dump" share ramping – guilty plea in $100 million share manipulation scheme

Financial Services Regulation

Information sharing in the regulated sector: reducing or increasing risk?

Commercial Litigation

Court of Appeal finds for London Metal Exchange in Elliott / nickel trade cancellation litigation

Financial Services Regulation

Starling Bank fined £29 million for financial crime systems and controls failings

Financial Services Regulation

AIRSPEED READ - NATS (En Route) Plc – Consultation on changes to NERL License terms – Closes on 1 October 2025

Share Article

Related Expertise

Contributors

Johnny Champion

Rupali Sharma

Related Articles

Legal and practical considerations concerning cross border repossessions of leased aircraft

Money laundering through the markets: The FCA publishes updated guidance

What is Inside Information under the UK Market Abuse regime? Any the wiser?

Failure to prevent fraud: key points from the Government Guidance

Markou v Financial Conduct Authority [2024] EWCA Civ 1575

"Pump and dump" share ramping – guilty plea in $100 million share manipulation scheme

Information sharing in the regulated sector: reducing or increasing risk?

Court of Appeal finds for London Metal Exchange in Elliott / nickel trade cancellation litigation

Starling Bank fined £29 million for financial crime systems and controls failings