An Investigation of Airspace Congestion Possible Air Traffic Management Integration in the Pearl River Delta Region of Southern China

摘要

With five airports (namely Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, Zhuhai Airport, Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport and Macau International Airport) in close proximity, air traffic in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) of Guangdong Province is one of the most congested areas in Asia. Due to historical and military restrictions, the PRD airspace is separately navigated by three different ATC facilities of different standards. This escalates the operational challenges to both the air navigations services providers (ANSPs), airport operators and airlines. The resulting inefficiency imposes additional fuel cost and flight time for airlines entering and leaving the PRD Region. This study attempts to examine the special features of airspace arrangement and management in the PRD. Recent developments of integrated air traffic management (ATM) of Northern California, New York and European skies are drawn for reference. In spite of transitional arrangements being considered, it is suggested that PRD should eventually be operated as a "functional airspace block" with a fully integrated ATM facility. There should be strong civil and military interaction and "flexible airspace" arrangement. A list of policy-based recommendations to improve the current tripartite institutional approach to the issue is also provided.