BA invests in new technology to reduce delays

British Airways has invested £5 million in new advanced technology to reduce the delays and disruption caused by fog and poor visibility at Heathrow Airport.

BA is the first commercial airline to introduce the onboard Microwave Landing System which becomes operational on Wednesday March 25. The system will increase the safe landing rate during periods of low visibility at Heathrow by more than 20 per cent.

On average, there are 10 foggy days each year at Heathrow which result in air traffic control having to reduce the number of aircraft landings, leading to delays, diversions and cancellations. Periods of intense rain can also lead to restrictions on the normal landing rate.

This new system has been installed on 29 of the airline's Airbus A320s and A321s with the remaining 12 to be completed by the end of 2009.

British Airways' director of flight operations, Captain Stephen Riley, said: "This pioneer initiative will mean less disruption and congestion, which is great news for our customers.

"It will also reduce holding times for aircraft, which will cut unnecessary carbon emissions."

In foggy conditions now, pilots use Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) to guide the aircraft on to the runway. However ILS is susceptible to interference from other aircraft crossing in front of the runway transmitters so air traffic control have to increase the space between the landing aircraft to protect the ILS signals.

MLS equipped aircraft can make their landing approaches without the need for additional air traffic spacing.

The Airbus A320 family of aircraft are the first commercial aircraft to be certificated by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to operate the new system, which has been developed for British Airways by aerospace group Thales.