Response to interpellation 2023/24:768 on radar coverage at airports
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
KD considers that local air traffic control should be market-opened 1 and that the airports have had enough time to find alternative solutions 1 2. KD argues that it is reasonable for the airports to resolve the situation through coordinated service procurement 2 3 and emphasizes that aviation safety and emergency services are not threatened 1 2 3. KD considers that aviation is central to critical societal functions 4, that airport infrastructure must be ensured 4 and that employees in public operations should be able to fly 4. S argues that there is great concern due to reduced capacity 5 6 and that air traffic control and radar can be critical societal activities that the state should have control over 5 7.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! Gunilla Svantorp has asked me if I consider it reasonable that each airport individually should resolve the situation that has arisen, and if I do not intend to take any measures to ensure that the country's airports have services for radar coverage.
Gunilla Svantorp's interpellation is a follow-up to a previous parliamentary question from her on the same subject. In the answer to the parliamentary question, I referred to the fact that local air traffic control is market-opened, and to clarify, it has been since 2010. The relevant network services that Luftfartsverket ceased to deliver at the turn of the year were announced in December 2022. But the change had been announced some year earlier, and the airports have had time to prepare for the new situation.
As I noted in the answer to the question, the supervisory authority Transportstyrelsen has assessed that aviation safety is not threatened, but that capacity problems may arise in certain traffic situations. Trafikverket, which provides state grants for duty operations at the emergency airports, has also assessed that blue-light flights at these locations can continue to be performed without disruptions during a transition period. There is, in fact, a clear prioritization of which flights shall be given precedence for take-offs and landings in the event of capacity problems.
The contacts I have with the authorities and industry organizations indicate that there are opportunities to resolve the delivery of the relevant network services based on current market conditions. I do not see that every airport would need to apply for so-called C-certification and establish a communication path to the information point at Luftfartsverket where the relevant data is available to be retrieved. The more reasonable approach is that one or more providers will offer the airports such a service, as Luftfartsverket has done previously. At the current stage, I am therefore not prepared to change the existing order, that local air traffic control shall continue to be market-open.
Gunilla Svantorp (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer!
There is some concern and quite a lot of frustration within the operations affected by this, which is the reason why, just as the Minister stated, we have submitted written questions. In November, my colleague Per-Arne Håkansson submitted a question, and likewise in April. In May, I first submitted a question, and now we are here to debate.
The question is about being able to fly in controlled airspace, that one flies with a permit and clearance and with an air traffic control located in a tower at an airport, either physically or digitally. The air traffic control is responsible for and guarantees separation between the aircraft that are in the current airspace. It can be with or without radar. But radar simplifies and enables the air traffic control's work.
What has happened now is that since January this year, Luftfartsverket no longer delivers radar surveillance data to eight regional airports. It has also been announced that an additional five will be affected in 2025.
What still made me feel that we needed a discussion about this is the Minister's answer. It concerns, of course, the anxiety that exists regarding what will happen, but also the Minister's answer that he is following the issue closely. Market solutions are being sought for the delivery of these services, just as stated in the answer.
An important question is why the agreement is being terminated. Why is Luftfartsverket terminating the agreement? What is the background to it, really? Another question concerns whether the state must nevertheless guarantee and ensure that critical systems for, for example, navigation and communication are coordinated, secured, and available.
Trafikverket has itself stated that it assesses that a unifying authority is needed for the long-term planning of Swedish airspace. In the referral of the Airport Investigation, which has not yet been handled more than in parts of it, the Swedish Armed Forces states that it wants a comprehensive network. It also wants to investigate the number of emergency airports, create a redundancy, and have sufficient geographical distribution and coverage.
Given that, it can feel very strange that we are now facing the fact that activities at eight and soon an additional five airports are being scaled down. If only one flight operation can be running at a time, it has consequences. Even if it does not have consequences for aviation safety, as the Minister stated, it has consequences for capacity and who can move in the air.
A larger question arises. It concerns the fragmented aviation system that we still have in Sweden, where the state is responsible for certain parts and where regions, municipalities and private actors are responsible for other parts. Does the government think that it works well?
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! I want to repeat that local air traffic control at regional airports has been deregulated since 2010. When it comes to Luftfartsverket's radar data, Luftfartsverket still delivers radar data but now to a secure point where certified actors need to retrieve this data. Luftfartsverket has therefore not shut down any flow of information, but the regulations require that data be retrieved in a more secure manner.
As I also said, Madam Speaker, Luftfartsverket was previously also responsible for the delivery of the service until the current airports. The agreement was terminated in December 2022. But it did not come as a surprise to any airport, Madam Speaker. It was announced to the current airport operators during the spring of 2019, why airport holders have had ample time to find alternative solutions.
There are today about ten actors who have the current certification to provide current online services. I therefore see no need for every airport to have to procure the service individually, rather a coordination for an efficient service procurement should be possible.
The question was whether I consider it reasonable that each airport individually should resolve the situation that has arisen. With this answer, I see no need for each airport to have to procure the service individually, but rather that it is possible to achieve coordination on the ground for an efficient procurement. It should be reasonable.
Madam Speaker! Something that is, of course, important for me to keep an eye on is whether the supervisory authority assesses that aviation safety is affected. It does not in this case, Madam Speaker. Based on the Transport Agency's assessment, that assessment cannot be made. Even Trafikverket, which is the authority that provides state grants for duty operations at emergency airports, has, as I said in the response, assessed that blue-light flights can continue to be carried out at these airports without disruptions that could potentially occur during a transition period.
When it concerns a government agency's decision, it does not fall to the government or an individual minister to micro-manage it. I can state that Luftfartsverket has terminated agreements and that this was done in relatively good time so that airport operators would have time to find alternative solutions. There are alternative solutions in the market-opened air traffic control that the Riksdag decided on.
Regarding the second issue the member brings up concerning the airport investigation's proposals, the government has already proceeded with a couple of them. We are preparing the proposals, and an overall priority is that the state commitment shall increase. It has come into a different light since the investigation was presented, given the security policy situation. Regarding the referral response from the Armed Forces, which the member mentions, the readiness network has been expanded with Halmstad airport.
It is an ambition and a priority from the government's side that there should be a well-developed network of emergency airports in every region across the entire country. I believe everyone understands the importance of this, not least when it concerns society-critical transports for healthcare but also rescue operations and, finally, Madam Speaker, preparedness for a different security situation given the world and the time we live in. In that regard, aviation is a very important capability for both civil and military defense.
Gunilla Svantorp (S)
Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for the answer. One could perceive it as being quite simple to become certified. I have received other descriptions where it is argued that it is a very complicated and long process.
One of those who has applied to become certified has been working on their application for three years. The authority conducts supervision, and you receive points to be noted and correct the errors. Then a new supervision is conducted, and so you get more things to address. This person has therefore been at it for three years, so it might still not be so incredibly easy to become a certified actor.
If it were so simple that one could just go out to the market and pick up a certificate, I do not think that all these airports would have spoken up and thought that this is a major problem and a major challenge.
I can retrieve consequence descriptions from all the airports, except one, that are affected right now. In Karlstad, for example, the airspace is lent to the military, which trains every day. If a blue-light flight arrives, they obviously cannot train, because only one movement can be active at a time. They also have flight training, which currently cannot take place.
In Västerås - to take another example - there is a large part of the country's flight schools. This will of course also be affected. And if one cannot practice flying, it will eventually affect commercial aviation and also emergency services aviation.
The consequences are therefore great. Even though socially important flights and emergency flights, for example ambulance flights, are prioritized, we also have other parts that are just as important for maintaining our society. This applies, for example, to the fire watch, which is managed by volunteers who, of course, also want a lot of flight hours to maintain their license.
We have the Voluntary Air Corps, which is out searching for missing people, for example. Swedish Aviation has also reached out. Flying is a hobby for many, but aviation is also a path into aviation-related professions for many. If one then has to compete for the airspace, it will of course affect many more.
As a pilot, one must fly, take off, and land in order to maintain one's license. That is also an important issue. We must ensure that we do not get a flight of skills—that people start working elsewhere. It could be interesting to hear how the Minister has reflected on the competence aspect of the issue.
Does the Minister therefore answer that there is a well-functioning market today?
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! I would like to thank the member for the commitment. It is of course urgent and important that there is a solution to this.
Having aviation that is both accessible and competitive is something the government is working on in many different areas. I am pleased with the commitment to aviation and also to hobby aviation. As the member says, it is an important part of maintaining competence, capability, and interest in the aviation sector. It is not just about socially important aviation, which can actually be as broad as anything. But specifically for fire monitoring, rescue transport, ambulance, healthcare needs, and ultimately for civil and military defense capability, this is of course important.
Madam Speaker! I can state, as I also said in my response, that there are ten certified C-actors today. I do not think it should be too easy to become certified, but there is a reason for having a certificate. But it should also not be unnecessarily complicated. As I have touched upon, I envision that it should be possible with coordination for an efficient service procurement.
I now return to the question of how this situation could have arisen. During 2018, network agreements were concluded with the airports in question, which had a term from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022, i.e., a five-year agreement. But already in the spring of 2019, Luftfartsverket announced that the agreement could not be a lasting solution. The airport owners have therefore had time to find other suppliers, and there are other suppliers on the market that are certified according to this class.
If the question is whether there are other alternatives, the answer is yes. This has been a deregulated and open market since 2010. There are ten C-certified actors, and there is, as I see it, an opportunity for coordination regarding service procurement.
I hear and understand the question and the frustration. But there are different alternatives available. This is something that, of course, is important to get in place as soon as possible. But it does not fall upon an individual minister to micro-manage agencies or business entities or to step in and act when there are actually alternatives regarding the market-opened air traffic control.
The government and I, of course, continue to follow this closely. I would like to thank the member for the commitment to the issue but also to aviation as a whole. It is central and important that there is a robust and secure air traffic control throughout the country. Aviation must function regardless of where in the country one lives, and there must be a well-developed aviation infrastructure.
What has been important – and I return to this – is that the situation that has arisen shall not affect aviation safety, nor shall it affect the duty operations at the emergency airports. We have received notification from the authorities responsible for this that it is not at risk of being affected.
Gunilla Svantorp (S)
Madam Speaker! Now we come to this matter of critical societal activities, which we have discussed many times before. What is it, really? And who should have responsibility for and authority over it? It is an important question to consider moving forward, not least given the security policy situation.
Which actors one is expected to purchase services from is also important. Are they companies that are security-cleared and so on? I have pointed out in other debates that there are activities that the state perhaps should have control over. One could reflect a bit on whether air traffic control and radar might be such a part.
The war in Ukraine has also affected the economy of all airports in that they no longer receive payment for overflights that occur. Everything related to Asia and Russia is, of course, gone. That affects their economy. There are also other things that affect, for example, if the airports are owned by municipalities and regions. The money then goes instead to healthcare, school, elderly care, public transport, and so on. It is therefore clear that it is a tough situation for them.
I have understood that the government has something called an aviation council. Is that what it is called? Finally, I wonder if this issue has been raised there. There is still a great deal of concern among many of the regional airports. What, in that case, have the submissions to the cabinet been there?
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! I must return to exactly what has been raised and in what context. But regardless of where it has been raised, I am well aware of the issue and have understood that it has caused frustration and that there are questions regarding the situation that has arisen.
Regarding the situation for domestic flights, it is, just as the member is pointing out, very strained. Many airports and even airlines have a tough and strained situation right now, Madam Speaker.
At the same time, we stand on the brink of a breakthrough for greener aviation. New possibilities for accessibility are opening up with electric aviation, initially for shorter flights.
Furthermore, aviation is central and important for maintaining critical societal functions. We have mentioned aviation for healthcare that is important for society. When it comes to fire monitoring but also from a total defense need, it is very urgent that we secure the airport infrastructure we have. Therefore, this is an urgent issue.
I can only state what the member says regarding the route fees and reduced revenues in that regard.
There are many different ways in which one can encourage and lift aviation and also contribute to the transition of aviation. Today, there is an opportunity to purchase greener tickets with more biofuel in the tank.
The day before yesterday, I spoke with the County Governor in Östersund about the travel policy. She has taken the initiative to encourage other authorities not to opt out of air travel for climate reasons or other reasons, but rather that employees in various public activities should actually be able to fly when it is purchased. Travel policies and such should not counteract that.
Madam Speaker! I am happy to continue this dialogue. But now I thank you for the debate today.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.