Airport corner

Helping airports share information in an efficient and harmonised manner.

Public Access Log in Access conditions

At EUROCONTROL, as Network Manager (NM), we use data from airports to improve planning and operational processes and effectively manage the European air traffic management network. This helps us and our stakeholders account for problems before they can affect network performance and ensures that we distribute network capacity where it’s most needed.

What is the Airport corner?

We gather airport information via the Airport corner – an airport-focused data repository and secure web application that helps airports provide information in an efficient and harmonised manner. The underlying process for data provision facilitates the collaboration between local air traffic control centres (ATCs) and airport operators, resulting in a ‘coordinated airport view’.

The tool, managed by the NM Airport Unit, helps airports to integrate into various NM processes, from strategic planning to post-operational assessment, as set out in the Network Strategic Plan (NSP) and required by the Network Operations Plan (NOP).

130+

partner airports

How is sensitive information treated?

The Airport corner offers the capability to treat information as confidential whenever required.

Strategic Airport Information

The Airport corner covers a wide range of airport information such as capacities, traffic forecasts, local events impacting operations, airside and landside infrastructure, intermodality, adverse weather conditions, diversion capabilities, Terminal Manoeuvring Area (TMA)/approach, Continuous Descent Operations (CDO) and Collaborative Decision-Making (CDM) implementation, environment, civil-military coordination and local contacts.

Airports can update their strategic information at any time, but twice a year, we launch a Request for Information asking airports to review and update their data.

Pre-tactical/Tactical Airport Information

We gather airport information via the Airport corner – an airport-focused data repository and secure web application that helps airports provide information in an efficient and harmonised manner. The underlying process for data provision facilitates the collaboration between local air traffic control centres (ATCs) and airport operators, resulting in a ‘coordinated airport view’.

Post-operational Airport Information

In following up the events that have had a significant impact on the network, the Airport Unit produces a post-operational impact analysis, in coordination with the NMOC post-operational team. This analysis provides an independent view of the impact that airport events had on the network.

Dedicated COVID Interface

In April 2020, in response to the COVID crisis, a new Airport corner interface dedicated to COVID related information was made available to airports. Via this new interface, airports are invited to share with NM, on a weekly basis, any relevant information about the impact of COVID to their airside and landside operations.

Information Services to Airports

The Airport corner is evolving towards an “Airport Network Digital Data Centre”, a new name to better label the new scope of services that will be offered (from an “airports information provision to NM tool” towards enhanced “information services to airports” as well). This new approach aims to increase the benefits to airports in return for their efforts in regularly providing information via the Airport corner to NM.

The following information services are already available to airports:

Passenger Demand Prediction

This Service aims to support airports planning as quickly and efficiently as possible. It has been developed and premised on the monitoring of commercial flights / seats offered in the market (ticketing information) to and from 167 ECAC airports.  The resulting prediction is in fact an indication of average aircraft occupancy and passenger demand per airport (per terminal where applicable) based on price evolution.

NM Airports Weekly Briefing

Every week there is a EUROCONTROL NM Airports Weekly Briefing containing information for the following 7-day period such as: global updated slot situation, demand / capacity imbalances, flight and passenger demand prediction, expected events with potential impact on airports. Immediately after the briefing, a “briefing pack” is made available via the Airport corner.

How many European airports are contributing?

In total, more than 130 airports have become partners of the Airport corner and many more are in the process of joining.

What is next?

Currently, our main focus is the refactoring of the Airport corner. The database and interfaces are being adjusted and prepared for future developments and needs. The new version will be available in 2022. It will be more user friendly and include improvements on events information reporting and management of data and users. At the same time, we are extensively exploring other data sources to be integrated within the Airport corner. The initial goal is to replace and complement, where we can, the information that currently requires manual input. The first step is integration of European AIS Database “EAD” (e.g. NOTAMs, AIP SUPs, Snow State Messages to Airmen “SNOWTAMs” and Charts), Network Manager Interactive Reporting “NMIR” (regulations, traffic...) and meteorological “MET” information. Another ambition in the short term is employing data and machine learning to build a pre-tactical situation prediction tool.

This will be followed by a B2B connection to airport systems, which will save manual efforts and ensure real-time information updates and integration in local systems (e.g. airports diversion capabilities).

Finally, we are devoted to maintain our customer focus and further develop the Public Airport corner and Airport corner for airlines.

Airport corner for airlines

Since 2018, a dedicated interface for airlines has been available. The information contained in the Airport Corner for Airlines can add value in strategic, pre-tactical and tactical airline operations’ planning by:

  • providing early situational awareness of the status of both destination and alternate airports, triggering early coordination and making for improved business decisions;
  • providing background information which complements other sources, such as AIP SUPs and NOTAMs;
  • providing information which is currently not available in the AIPs;
  • providing information on medium and long-term airport plans. This helps airlines with their strategic decision-making (e.g. capacity vs traffic forecast; future infrastructure improvements, etc.);
  • improving predictability and resource planning;
  • facilitating the coordination in a diversion situation (airport-NM-airlines);
  • providing post-operational analyses on events, which had a major impact on operations helping in responding to customer, claims (EC regulation 261/2004).

Access conditions

All European airports are very welcome to join the process. By sharing your information via the Airport corner, NM can ensure the integration of your airport into the European ATM network. The expected benefits are airport information sharing among all partners, resulting in improved situational awareness, planning and predictability, and better balancing of demand and capacity. This will help to optimise airport operations and network performance.

Public access

Non-confidential information of individual airports can be accessed through the Public Airport corner via the Network Operations Portal (NOP) Strategic section.

Explore our public version

Secured access for airports and airlines

A more in-depth view and an interface to provide network-related information is available via the EUROCONTROL Restricted Airport corner. This access is granted to airport operators, local air traffic control centres (ATCs) and airlines.

How can I join the process?

Just contact us via the button below and we will reply shortly after with the necessary guidance.

Contact us