NATS retains air traffic control with MAG for 10 years. Also 2 more years at Luton. Lost Gatwick in July

NATS has signed a 10-year deal with Manchester Airports Group (MAG) to provide air traffic control and engineering services at Manchester and Stansted airports, both owned by MAG. By number of passengers, they are the 3rd and 4th largest in the UK. The contract starts on April 1, 2015. MAG hopes both Manchester & Stansted will be growing rapidly. Earlier in August it was announced that NATS had signed an agreement with Luton Airport (the 5th largest in the UK)  to extend the current contract for air traffic provision by two years, so it now ends in November 2017. This was agreed after a competitive tendering process. “NATS will also continue to provide approach services as part of its management of the London Terminal Manoeuvring Area, one of the most complex and busiest areas of airspace in the world.” NATS also hopes to make money out of its growth in air traffic, which is plans to increase to 18 million passengers per year by 2031. NATS makes more money the larger the number of planes using the airports it works for, and en route using any UK airspace. NATS lost the contact for Gatwick to German rival, DFS in July.
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Stansted: MAG and NATS agree 10-year air traffic control deal

Stansted Airport

Stansted Airport

  (EADT 24)

August 26, 2014

The NATS (National Air Traffic Services) air traffic control centre at Swanwick, in Hampshire.
The NATS (National Air Traffic Services) air traffic control centre at Swanwick, in Hampshire.

NATS has a long standing relationship with Manchester and Stansted Airports, built up over many years, and begins the new contract on April 1, 2015.

Andrew Cowan, chief operating officer for MAG, said: “NATS is highly regarded within the aviation industry and has a proven track record when it comes to aircraft and passenger safety, which is our shared priority. We believe that NATS is best placed to deliver a modern and efficient air traffic control service for our two largest airports. Both Manchester and Stansted are growing rapidly and we look forward to continuing our strong working relationship and growing a positive future for our airports.”

NATS director of operations Mike Stoller said: “Having worked with MAG and both airports for a number of years, we are looking forward to continuing our relationship and supporting MAG to achieve their growth ambitions in the future.

“We will be working in partnership with MAG to build on the safe and resilient service we provide today with innovative air traffic management solutions for their business going forward. Both airports have ambitious growth goals and we will work closely with MAG to ensure that increased air traffic movements and passenger numbers, can be successfully realised.”

In 2013, Manchester Airport opened a new £20million air traffic control tower, the second largest in the UK, in which NATS installed over 70 systems to support the air traffic control operation. This closely followed MAG’s £25m refurbishment of Manchester’s northern runway by the airport group.

Manchester is currently the third largest airport in the country with over 21 million passengers using the airport annually and London Stansted is the fourth largest serving over 18 million passengers a year.

http://www.eadt.co.uk/business/stansted_mag_and_nats_agree_10_year_air_traffic_control_deal_1_3744906

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NATS Annual report and accounts 2014

http://www.nats.aero/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/NATS_AR_2014_Financial_Statements.pdf

This says:

Our services
We offer the following products and services to our customers:

> Airspace: UK en route, North Atlantic and terminal air traffic control (ATC) services;

> Airports: airport air traffic control services in the UK and overseas;

> Consultancy: solutions to specific operational and technical air traffic control challenges;

> Defence: helping military customers to share airspace with civil aviation;

> Engineering: delivering ATC technology and infrastructure projects to airport operators, air traffic service providers, construction companies and industry suppliers; and

> Information: aeronautical information management, airspace design services and data solutions for future flight efficiency and airport optimisation

 

NATS renewed their contracts with Belfast, Cardiff and RAF Gibraltar. They lost the contract for Gatwick. Birmingham will not renew their contract with NATS but will take the service in-house from 2015.

Contractual arrangements existed during the year between LHR Airports Limited and NATS Services in relation to air navigation services provided at Aberdeen, Glasgow, Heathrow and Southampton airports.

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….NATS provides services at the world’s busiest single runway airport (Gatwick with 55
scheduled movements per hour) and dual runway airport (Heathrow with 88 scheduled movements per hour).


 

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London Luton Airport extends NATS contract

18.08.2014 (NATS website)

NATS has signed an agreement with London Luton Airport to extend the current contract for air traffic provision by two years. It will now run until November 2017.

The UK’s leading provider of air traffic services will therefore continue to provide tower and engineering services at the airport after retaining the contract in 2012 following a competitive tendering process.

NATS will also continue to provide approach services as part of its management of the London Terminal Manoeuvring Area, one of the most complex and busiest areas of airspace in the world.

Gill Clark, NATS General Manager at London Luton Airport, said: “We are delighted to be continuing our close relationship with the airport. This extension shows that NATS continues to offer an outstanding safe and efficient service and excellent value for money.”

“High quality air traffic management is vital to the smooth running of any airport, helping to minimise delays while maximising available capacity and that is what NATS does best. We look forward to working with London Luton Airport and their exciting development plans to reach 18 million passengers by 2031.”

Neil Thompson, London Luton Airport’s Operations Director, said: “Our partnership with NATS will see us continue to work together to deliver safe and reliable services that can accommodate the increasing number of airlines and passengers who choose to use London Luton for its ease and convenience.”

In 2013, London Luton Airport carried 9.7 million passengers with NATS controllers handling 97,615 flights making it the fifth busiest passenger airport in the UK.

http://www.nats.aero/news/london-luton-airport-extends-nats-contract/

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Germany’s DFS air traffic service beats NATS to control Gatwick flights below 4,000 feet

18.7.2014

Gatwick Airport’s air traffic control services are to be provided by a German state-owned company from next year. A 10-year contract for services below 4,000ft around the airport has been given to Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS). The service has been provided for more than 30 years by Hampshire-based NATS, which will continue to navigate air traffic above 4,000ft. NATS said it was disappointed, but it was too early to say if jobs would go. DFS is wholly owned by the German government and operates 16 airports in Germany as well as providing air traffic control across the country. Gatwick management said it was planned that, after a period of transition, DFS would start work in October 2015. The successful bid by DFS comes a year after a UK pension fund, the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) beat DFS for a 20% stake in NATS. The Airline Group, which had owned 42% of NATS before the sale, chose USS rather than DFS to buy the 20%, which meant that a partial de-facto merger between two of the largest European Air Navigation Service Providers did not happen.

https://www.airportwatch.org.uk/?p=22433

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