The Austrian air traffic control Austro Control involves the population when determining new arrival and departure routes. Since February 18, 2024, interested people have been able to submit suggestions for improvements and statements to the ACG online.

Austria's commercial airports will have to charge higher fees this year for machines that cause more aircraft noise. This has been the case in Salzburg for a long time, but not at all other airports. Modern aircraft, which are considered comparatively quiet, will benefit from reduced fees in the future. What is also new is that residents can get involved in designing arrival and departure routes. Under www.austrocontrol.at/flugrouten Interested people can now submit statements, criticism and suggestions.

“With the new participation concept, citizens can now for the first time take part in determining arrival and departure routes to and from the airport. This increases public participation in the handling of air traffic and creates more transparency. In the future, citizens will be better informed and more involved overall. Through this public participation, we also enable increased avoidance of noise and a better quality of life,” explains Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens).

According to its own information, the ministry has developed a special procedure in cooperation with Austro Control in recent months to strengthen dialogue with the population in the context of flight route determination. The letters that are deposited with the ACG should be evaluated by them. You should be able to see online whether and how a concern can be taken into account or not.

“Austro Control stands for safe, punctual and noise- and environmentally friendly handling of air traffic. We now want to make how we ensure this even more transparent, give citizens the opportunity to actively participate in this process and make concrete suggestions for improvement,” say Austro Control Managing Directors Valerie Hackl and Philipp Piber.