To make sure that aviation flows smoothly, EUROCONTROL has been working closely with DSNA (the relevant French authority) on the planning and coordination for the Games. There has been a particular focus on the Opening Ceremony on 26 July, for which many Heads of State will travel to Paris and during which the airspace over Paris will be closed.
The closing ceremonies are also significant, with a peak number of athletes and teams departing soon afterwards.
Fortunately, we have valuable experience from the London Games in 2012, when extensive planning resulted in the events having very little impact on the aviation Network. We are building on the lessons learnt then on the value of specific teleconferences and close coordination – in fact, some DSNA experts will be based in the EUROCONTROL Network Manager Operations Centre in Brussels for the critical period.
Airlines and Airports are also planning ahead, often using larger aircraft to handle more passengers without needing more flights. As a result, we do not anticipate significant Network disruption.