“Real-Time Weather Insights Help Air Traffic Controllers Cut Delays And Boost Safety
“DSNA and SITA complete proof-of-concept bringing airline-grade weather intelligence into Air Traffic Control”.
Managing air traffic across Europe’s busy skies is demanding, and unpredictable weather only heightens the challenge.
Storms, turbulence, and rapidly shifting conditions contribute to thousands of delays each year, forcing controllers to make split-second decisions to ensure safety and maintain smooth operations.
To strengthen weather-related decision-making, DSNA, France’s air navigation service provider, partnered SITA to test real-time weather intelligence tools that give controllers the same high-quality live data already used by pilots and airline dispatch teams.
The proof-of-concept, conducted at the Reims Area Control Centre, trialed SITA’s Enhanced Weather Awareness System (eWAS) and Mission Watch over the summer of 2025. Across 21 operational days with weather-related capacity impacts between July and October, DSNA teams used the tools to monitor and respond to fast-changing conditions across multiple airspace sectors.
The impact was immediate and significant. Flow managers were able to anticipate weather variations with far greater precision, reducing delays by up to 65 per cent, equivalent to an estimated 60,000 to 105,000 minutes saved—all while maintaining full safety. These improvements also generated measurable financial gains: managing 2,700 additional flights at an average en-route charge of €750 per flight translated into roughly €2.02 million in extra revenue. Throughout the trial, no incidents involving loss of traffic awareness were recorded.
“Weather is one of the biggest challenges for air navigation service providers,” said Gael Barbezier, Head of Operations at Reims ACC. “Working with SITA allowed us to maintain full safety, avoid uncontrolled situations, and adjust capacity precisely to the weather, without unnecessary constraints on traffic. It feels like we’ve found the key to bringing stability to something that has always been unpredictable”.
Developed originally for airline operations, SITA’s eWAS and Mission Watch deliver highly detailed, continuously updated weather intelligence. By providing controllers, pilots, and dispatchers with the same unified, real-time view, the tools enable more accurate decision-making, smoother traffic flows, and rapid restoration of normal operations after disruptions.
“Our collaboration with DSNA shows what can be achieved when everyone in aviation shares the same live picture of the sky,” said Yann Cabaret, CEO, SITA for Aircraft. “When controllers, pilots, and dispatchers all see accurate, real-time weather information, they can plan and adapt together. That means fewer delays, smoother operations, and safer flights. This proof-of-concept embodies Trajectory Based Operation—using shared, data-driven insights to manage each flight’s true path and timing—and shows how shared data can make a practical difference every day”.
Following the success of the project, DSNA now has access to a refined version of Mission Watch and continues collaborating with SITA to tailor the solution to the evolving needs of air navigation