DANUBE FAB - At a glance

Starting from 23rd of February 2023 the Aircraft Operators are able to plan their flights freely across the airspace of Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Republic of Moldova and Czech Republic 24/7 without the limitations of the geographical boundaries. The inclusion of the airspace of the Czech Republic represents the third expansion of the SEE FRA project (South East Europe Free Route Airspace, successfully implemented on the 7th of November 2019), thus making possible cross border free route operations across the airspace of the 6 states. Therefore, SEE FRA becomes one of the largest free route airspace blocks in Europe.

On 26 January 2023, DANUBE FAB social partners met the management of BULATSA and ROMATSA in a face-to-face format for the first time since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The meeting allowed the social partners to receive a summary of the activities completed in 2022, as well as to gain knowledge about the planned activities within the DANUBE FAB for 2023.

After 10 years of working together in the DANUBE FAB framework the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania have proven their ability to rapidly adapt, adjust, implement and apply new regulations while taking the necessary measures to have performant air navigation infrastructures and services in order to conduct safe air operations. On 9 December and 16 December 2022, the ANSP Board, respectively the Governing Council, held their nineteenth meetings, a week after the ANSP Board, thus ensuring the bridge between the relevant strategic and planning bodies of the FAB and the Governing Council.

Around 100 participants from all over Europe and America attended the research workshop Single European Sky and Resilience in ATM in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 15-16 September. Organised by DANUBE FAB, FABEC and GARS, the workshop brought together senior academics, high-level industry experts and regulators to exchange views on how to manage increasing uncertainty in air traffic management.