23/01/2026
On 29 October 2025, the CAA highlighted our plans to conduct expedited CISP work at the CAA ahead of returning to industry early 2026.
In October 2025, we initiated work at the CAA to advise DfT on the optimal role of the CISP in alignment with the target airspace architecture. Since then, we have been working to define and evaluate the CISP function for the UK, ensuring that technical feasibility, regulatory, licensing, economic, industry, delivery and strategic factors are all considered effectively. This work is still underway, including additional technical detailed design work for the wider UK airspace architecture which in turn influences strategic decisions on CISP.
The next steps of this work include to continue with technical design work as well as engage with industry stakeholders on the findings that the expedited CISP work has generated so far. We are conducting this period of industry engagement from now until end of February 2026 to ensure insights gathered are factored into the analysis. The analysis, including the technical design work and industry engagement, will be completed by end of March 2026. This will then facilitate the strategic decisions at CAA.
In the meantime, we continue to recognise industry’s important role in shaping the UK’s future airspace architecture and welcome inputs from other industry stakeholders on SWIM and related developments.
29/10/2025
On 27 June 2025, NERL submitted its “NATS OpenAir CAA submission document”, discharging its obligation under the NR23 license decision to submit a proposal for a new user charging mechanism.
We have conducted an initial review of the “NATS OpenAir CAA submission document”, encompassing technical, economic, and licensing considerations.
The NATS OpenAir proposal also encompasses the introduction of a Common Information Service Provider (CISP) function as a new service within the aviation system.
Given the likely criticality of a CISP function for the UK future airspace architecture, we are currently expediting work to advise the Department for Transport on the optimal role of the CISP in alignment with the target airspace architecture.
We anticipate concluding this technical work in early 2026, following which we will engage with NERL and other industry stakeholders.
In the meantime, we recognise NERL’s important role in shaping the UK’s future airspace architecture and acknowledge its work to develop and engage on the NATS OpenAir proposal. We also continue to welcome inputs from other industry stakeholders on SWIM and related developments.
February 2025
System Wide Information Management (SWIM) is a concept of governance, standards and infrastructure that enables the management of Air Traffic Management (ATM) information and its interoperability between appropriate parties via information services.
The UK’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy sets out a concept for SWIM in the UK. We are looking for a UK airspace system wide approach that will reliably and systematically maintain high standards of safety for existing as well as new users. The strategy also outlines a number of other concepts such as Future Air Traffic Management, Communications, navigation and surveillance technologies that will all need to work in system wide harmony.
In October 2023 we published our Final Decision for the NR23 price control review which set out our decision for the UK En route, London Approach and Oceanic price controls that apply for the five calendar years from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027.
In this we confirmed that our Final Decision was unchanged from our Provisional Decision, that NATS (En Route) plc, known as NERL, "should provide services to new users where to do so would be consistent with its licence obligations and the TA00” and “in the medium term and by no later than 30 June 2025, NERL should submit a proposal for a new user charging mechanism to us.
Before doing so, NERL should have engaged broadly on the new proposal, including:
- ensuring there is a well-developed, transparent and robust evidence base; and
- demonstrating that it had consulted on its proposals with all relevant stakeholders and responded to their feedback.”
We also set out our view that, “On this basis, it is reasonable to task NERL to do some development and consultation work, with a view to making a proposal to the CAA. However, for clarity, any new charging mechanism must still be consulted on, and can only be implemented by us through our statutory and regulatory powers. Specifically, NERL will not be able raise any charges for its regulated activities without our intervention. We expect that we will monitor NERL’s work in this area and actively engage in the development of its proposals, ahead of NERL making any submission to us for formal consideration and action.”
Following that decision, NERL is consulting on a possible service (which it has termed OpenAir) and its associated charging mechanism.
In line with NR23 once NERL make a proposal to us we will review it and consider how it might work in the UK.
NERL’s concept looks reasonable and we support NERL carrying out a consultation with its stakeholders to develop the concept further.
If NERL were to be selected as having a formal role in the provision of any new services beyond the scope of its existing licence obligations, the CAA would undertake a formal consultation on any required licence modification.
We are open to hearing from others who might want to put forward similar system wide ideas.