Air Traffic Control Prestwick opens

The new air traffic control centre at Prestwick in Ayrshire is set to be formally opened.

About 130 controllers have relocated from Manchester to complete a decade-long strategy to control UK airspace from two centres instead of four.

The streamlining and privatisation of air traffic control sparked much controversy when the process began.

NATS (National Air Traffic Services) is partly owned by the UK government and by a group of commercial airlines.

More than 800 people are employed at Prestwick, controlling 900 000 flights a year and more airspace than any other European control centre.

The UK’s other centre is at Swanwick in Hampshire.

Manchester’s 35-year-old air traffic control centre will close during 2010.

• CLIPPED FROM: “New Prestwick air traffic control centre opens” BBC News, 2010-01-25 Mo

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