Europe’s skies are among the world’s busiest, and unpredictable weather remains one of the biggest disruptors of smooth traffic flow. To tackle this, France’s air navigation service provider, DSNA, joined forces with SITA to explore how live, airline-grade weather intelligence could help controllers make faster, safer decisions. A recent proof-of-concept at the Reims Area Control Centre has now shown just how significant that impact can be.
Smarter Weather Awareness Cuts Delays
During a 21-day trial across the storm-heavy summer period of 2025, controllers at Reims ACC used SITA’s Enhanced Weather Awareness System (eWAS) and Mission Watch; tools typically used by pilots and airline operations teams. These platforms offer continuously refreshed global weather data and a unified view of conditions across sectors.
The results were striking. Flow managers were able to predict weather fluctuations more accurately, leading to far fewer capacity reductions and a much smoother management of evolving situations. Delays fell by up to 65%, amounting to an estimated 60,000 to 105,000 minutes of saved time. The operational benefits also translated into economic gains: with the improved capacity, DSNA was able to accommodate roughly 2,700 additional flights, representing over €2 million in extra revenue for the period. Importantly, safety remained uncompromised, with no incidents tied to loss of situational awareness.
Gael Barbezier, Head of Operations at Reims ACC, emphasised that the new visibility into developing weather systems enabled controllers to keep traffic flowing without unnecessary restrictions—even during volatile conditions.
A Shared, Real-Time Picture of the Sky
SITA’s weather intelligence tools were originally created to help airlines make tactical decisions in-flight and on the ground. Bringing the same real-time, consistent data into the control centre creates a shared operational picture between pilots, dispatchers, and controllers. According to SITA for Aircraft CEO Yann Cabaret, this collaboration demonstrates how synchronised information allows all parties to adjust plans together, supporting the industry’s shift toward Trajectory Based Operations, where data-driven coordination replaces reactive decision-making.
Following the trial’s success, DSNA continues to refine its use of Mission Watch with SITA, working to adapt the technology for long-term integration into air navigation environments. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below. For more like this, click HERE.
