Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC)

The Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre provides cross-border air navigation services in the upper airspace of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and north-west Germany.

It is a perfect example of functional airspace integration, leading to major safety and efficiency gains. For several years in a row, MUAC has been rated as one of the most cost-effective air navigation service providers in Europe. Managed by EUROCONTROL on behalf of four European States, MUAC provides air traffic control services for the upper airspace (above 24,500 feet, or 7,500 metres) of the Benelux countries and north-west Germany. It also provides and validates innovative air traffic management operational solutions.

Located either above or close to the four major international hub airports of Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and London as well as other key terminal areas, the MUAC airspace is one of the busiest in Europe, with a complex structure. To ensure greater efficiency, at MUAC, the airspace is organised on a European rather than a national basis, according to the operational requirements of traffic flows. Today, such large-scale multinational airspace is still unique in Europe.

Over the years, MUAC has built itself a reputation for excellent safety performance, traffic fluidity, cost-effectiveness and advanced technology. Some 1.5 million flights pass through MUAC’s airspace each year, making it the second busiest air traffic control centre in Europe in terms of traffic volume after London. During the summer, there can be as many as 5,000 flights per day.

Together with its civil and military partners in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland, MUAC is currently working on the creation of Functional Airspace Block Europe Central (FABEC), to implement multinational management of the airspace in the core area of Europe.

Activities and services

• Customer services: Essential contacts and services for pilots and aircraft operators
• Controler Pilot Data-Link Communications : Data link services for airline operators
• News: Read the latest news and contact the media relations department
• Become an air traffic controller: We are recruiting air traffic controllers! Set your career sights on the sky
• Publications: The latest publications at a glance
• Corporate video: Meet us and find out more about our concepts, technology and activities
• FABEC: A common airspace in the core area of Europe
• About us: For detailed information access our website