New laws for flying in the UK – what you should know

Holiday-makers will enjoy quicker flights and fewer delays as part of new laws set out to open up new and more direct routes, propel airport expansion, and boost growth.

The changes, which will be laid in Parliament on Monday (2 June), will enable the largest redesign of UK airspace since it was first formed in the 1950s, the Department for Transport said.

This will include the new UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS), which is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2025.

Modernising the airspace will open up capacity, supporting growth and thousands of jobs in the aviation and tourism sectors, as well as reducing delays and emissions per flight resulting from planes circling in the sky while waiting to land, the department said.

It added that newly designed ‘skyways’ could also allow planes to climb quicker during take-off and descend more smoothly, reducing noise and air pollution for residents who live along flight routes.  

The UKADS’ initial focus will be on redesigning London’s airspace, with expansion at Heathrow alone expected to create over 100,000 extra jobs, turbocharge economic growth, strengthen the UK’s status as a global hub and deliver major benefits for airlines and passengers.

Over a longer timeframe, the UKADS could design routes that support flight paths for new and emerging technologies such as drones and flying taxis, spurring British innovation and delivering highly skilled jobs in the tech space. 

“The UK’s airspace is a critical piece of our national infrastructure, and these proposals will help modernise it, bringing forward new technologies and routing methods that will make it more efficient, cleaner, and provide passengers with a better experience,” said Karen Dee (Chief Executive of AirportsUK).

“Our airspace is some of the most complex in the world, and we welcome the new UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) that will bring together all the parties involved to help overcome some of the challenges this creates.

“Airports have led the calls for this approach to be adopted, and we are pleased that the government is fast-tracking it for implementation by the end of the year. Our members, firstly in the London area and then perhaps more widely across the UK, look forward to getting to work with UKADS to deliver the changes that will make our airspace fit for the 21st century.”