In aviation, an air traffic service (ATS) is a service which regulates and assists aircraft in real-time to ensure their safe operations. In particular, ATS is to:
The ATS further provides four services:
An ATS route is a designated route for channeling the flow of traffic as necessary for the provision of air traffic services. This include jet routes, area navigation routes (RNAV), and arrival and departure route. Routes may be defined with a designator; a path to and from significant points; distance between significant points; reporting requirements; and the lowest safe altitude.
Recently European ATS service providers are facing a greater change on the European market, with the introduction of Single European Sky, that divides Europe into "functional airspace blocks" – which is replacing the old, national airspace blocks.