Brussels, 16/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - At the Transport Council in Luxembourg on Friday 13 June, UK Secretary of State for Transport Rosie Winterton and Irish Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey announced the establishment of the first Functional Airspace Block (FAB) by the United Kingdom and Ireland. “Over 90% of air traffic on the North Atlantic flies over the UK and Ireland and this approach will enable us to enhance the safety and efficiency of the airspace management system to the benefit of the airline industry and passengers,” said Winterton. “The UK and Ireland have a long tradition of cooperation in air traffic management and the establishment of the first FAB in Europe is a major step in deepening that cooperation,” Dempsey said. The FAB, he said, would improve “the capacity of the air traffic management system” and would provide for “optimal flight paths for airlines”. FABs, which were brought into European legislation in 2004 (Single Sky package), will improve air traffic management by dividing airspace according to regional and operational requirements, rather than using national borders. (A.By./transl.rt)