Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that, as a result of the work carried out under the coordination of the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMİ), the Free Route Airspace (FRA) implementation will officially be launched in Turkish Airspace as of tonight. Minister Uraloğlu emphasised that this step represents “a significant reform” for Turkish aviation.
“Flight Times Will Be Shortened, Fuel Savings Will Be Achieved”
Minister Uraloğlu stated that FRA allows aircraft to plan free routes between designated entry and exit points without being bound to traditional flight paths, and continued:
“FRA will provide major economic and environmental benefits such as shorter flight times, fuel savings, and reduced carbon emissions.”
Preparation Process Ongoing Since 2019
Uraloğlu noted that Türkiye’s comprehensive preparations for transitioning to FRA were initiated by DHMİ in 2019, and explained that work had been carried out in many areas — from airspace arrangements to safer management of traffic flow.
The Minister said, “We have completed all necessary processes for FRA by refining procedures in line with international standards.”
Real-Time Simulation with Eurocontrol and 400 Controllers
Highlighting the real-time simulations conducted with the participation of nearly 400 air traffic controllers between January and May 2022 under an agreement with Eurocontrol, Uraloğlu stated:
“These efforts ensured the safe implementation of the new arrangement, the adaptation of controllers to the system, and the successful completion of operational safety analyses.”
FRA Begins Tonight for FL305 and Above
Minister Uraloğlu stated that, in accordance with the decision taken, FRA will be implemented by DHMİ as of tonight at levels FL305 (30,500 feet) and above.
Implementation period: Winter season 2025–2026 between 23:00–05:00
Target: Transition to 24-hour operation from the 2026–2027 winter season onwards
With the system’s activation, aircraft will be able to use shorter and more efficient routes. As a result, flight times will decrease, fuel consumption will drop, and a significant reduction in carbon emissions will be achieved.
FRA Planned for Lower Levels
Minister Uraloğlu noted that, depending on the feedback obtained from the first phase, FRA could also be implemented at lower levels:
“If Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA) studies can be expanded to cover the 10,000 feet – FL285 range, the way will be paved for implementing FRA at lower altitudes.”
It was stated that this step would enable free routes to become more common particularly on domestic flights, allow more suitable routes between airports, and provide additional fuel savings.
