News

Happy International ATCO Day!

Wishing all ATCOs a happy International #ATCO Day

On 20 October, the International Day of the Air Traffic Controller, EUROCONTROL celebrates the men and women who 24/7 help make air travel the safest possible mode of transport – and IFATCA, the international organisation representing ATC associations worldwide, which is 62 today.

Being an ATCO is to belong to an incredible profession and to take on a huge responsibility – the safe separation of air traffic requires total concentration & quick decision-making when managing multiple flights at a time.

Every one of those 30K+ flights flying through Europe’s busy airspace every day is safely handled by its ATCOs – including our controllers at EUROCONTROL Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC), which manages the upper airspace over Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and north-west Germany.

Become an ATCO

Interested in becoming an ATCO? If you're under 27, passionate about aviation and have great spatial skills, we open our ATCO training programme twice a year. Sign up for the prospect of a rewarding career in our Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre in the Netherlands!

Latest highlights

Press release

Greater efficiency in European airspace: aircraft can now fly thousands of additional direct routes in the core area of Europe

Contrails conference
News

EUROCONTROL-CANSO Sustainable Skies Conference: reducing contrails and their non-CO₂ effects on global warming through operational mitigation

John Santurbano
Article

Airlines back MUAC’s new greener route plan

Press release

iFMP, a key decision-making tool of EUROCONTROL Maastricht UAC becomes operational in Karlsruhe UAC

Award winners at Airspace World
News

ATM Awards: wins for EUROCONTROL in the Airspace Management and Collaboration categories

Press release

Aircraft operators reap rewards of MUAC airspace changes designed to optimise Free Route Airspace