In aviation, inspiration sometimes comes from unexpected places. In this case, it comes from nature itself.

What happens when airlines challenge long-established operating habits and combine them with data-driven insight and close collaboration? In the case of Aer Lingus and NATS, the answer is clear: meaningful fuel savings, reduced CO₂ emissions and a compelling case for rethinking how we operate across the North Atlantic.

When most people picture an air traffic controller, they’ll probably think of someone wearing a headset sat in front of a radar screen. My guess is that few will think of the humble Flight Progress Strip and the vital role they play in keeping aircraft moving safely and efficiently.

Last month I was at the International Airport Summit in Berlin, where one theme cut through almost every discussion, panel and product demo: predictability, not performance is now what airports care most about.

This year we have made significant strides towards developing NATS OpenAir as the UK-wide digital data infrastructure to enable the safe and efficient integration of crewed and uncrewed aircraft in shared airspace. The next step will see us working with Airways New Zealand.

Last week, our Young Professionals’ Network had the opportunity to represent NATS at the Dubai Airshow.From meeting inspiring peers from the Dubai Air Navigation Service Youth Council to presenting to senior leaders, the week offered a fantastic chance for us as a network to strengthen global connections and highlight the power of collaboration.

Earlier this year, we rolled out the Air Traffic Management Portal, ATM-P for short, a cutting-edge platform designed to enhance collaboration between the Flow Management Team at NATS, who ensure airspace sector capacity is safely balanced with demand.

At this week’s Airlines 2025 event, I joined colleagues from across the sector to discuss capacity and resilience in UK aviation. It highlighted a simple truth: growth alone will not suffice for passengers — resilience must grow alongside capacity. That’s the standard the industry is aiming for, and it’s how the UK will remain competitive.

In aviation, where precision, safety and efficiency are paramount, data can have an ever-increasing positive impact as we address the many challenges facing our rapidly evolving industry. That was the focus of ‘Analytics in Aviation 2025’, an internal conference that brought together more than 100 people from across NATS to hear customers, colleagues and partner organisations discuss how data, AI and advanced analytics are shaping the future of aviation.

At NATS, we believe in that same spirit of collaboration. Take Intelligent Approach as an example. It owes its origins to collaboration: NATS, Leidos, Heathrow, Think, Eurocontrol, SESAR. Each partner brought something unique to the table, and together, we have created something transformative.