Marking Remembrance – operations across the country to fall silent

Every Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, air traffic controllers across the country play their part in the national commemoration by ensuring the two minutes of silence is as complete as possible.

This Sunday, controllers at Swanwick will be working to ensure there are no overflights in the vicinity of the Cenotaph from precisely 10:55 so the national silence centred in Whitehall can be observed.

Aircraft movements at airports across the country will be suspended from 10:57 until 11:03 in order to allow local communities to observe the period of silence without interruption.

Airlines will also be asked to avoid the ground-running of engines during this time, quietening the usual hum of airside operations. Within the terminal buildings, passengers and staff stand in respectful silence, and the usual rumbles of baggage belts and x-ray machines are muted.

The process will then be repeated for Armistice Day itself on Monday.

The entire process is orchestrated with military precision and is something over which we take a huge amount of care to get right so people have the opportunity to remember those who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice.