Upper airspace of Kosovo, at the altitude higher than 8.700 meters, will be opened for civil flights today, after 15 years, in line with the agreement reached in 2013.
According to the agreement, Hungarian air traffic control Hungarocontrol will be in charge for air control, whereas Kosovo remains within the administrative boundaries of Belgrade’s Flight Information Region (FIR). Agreed name of the airspace will be ‘KFOR Sector’.
Airspace over Kosovo was closed for civil flights following NATO strikes on Serbia in 1999, whereas civil flights above the altitude of 8.700 meters were banned later, what meant longer and more expensive routes for commercial airline companies.
Opening of the upper airspace was agreed in close cooperation with NATO, European Agency for Air Safety Eurocontrol, Air Traffic Control of Serbia and Montenegro, Hungarocontrol and air traffic controls in the wider region.
Secretary-General of the Eurocontrol Frank Brenner assessed that opening of the Kosovo airspace presents a good example which will reflect in annual savings of 370 nautical miles and 24.000 tons of fuel, that is 75.000 tons of carbon-dioxide.
“Opening of the airspace is an excellent example of cooperation between civil and military sectors and usage of the same routs, what is not the usual way of functioning,” said Brenner.
Director of the FYRM agency for civil air traffic Dean Mojsoski praised the opening of the upper airspace over Kosovo, and assessed that it will attract more airline companies, increase competition and bring more incomes to FYRM. He added that FYRM air control had navigated between 110.000 and 130.000 flights annually, whereas the number will go higher for around 26.000 flights, following the agreement.
FYRM air control M-nav will assist to Hungarocontrol in providing radar images and communication lines by using equipment provided by Hungary.
