Airservices Australia has expanded its Asia-Pacific regional trial of cross boundary user-preferred routes, building on the success of the first phase, in delivering shorter travel times, fuel savings and carbon emissions reductions for participating airlines.
The initial 11-month user-preferred routing (UPR) trial saw Airservices collaborate with the national air navigation service providers (ANSPs) of Indonesia, Singapore and New Zealand, as well as airlines Qantas, Air New Zealand, Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines, to implement UPR on 38 different scheduled routes between Australian/New Zealand and Indonesian/Singaporean airspace.
From July 1, the trial now includes two new ANSPs - Fiji Airports and NiuSky Pacific (Papua New Guinea) - to realise the benefits of flexible routing through greater use of expanded airspace, including reductions in carbon emissions to help meet the International Civil Aviation Organization's long-term aspirational goal for the global aviation sector to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
In addition, with the support of the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Asia-Pacific regional office, three new carriers have joined the trial - Cathay Pacific, Jetstar and Fiji Airways. This will allow for more city pairs to be utilised on an expanded UPR trial of 70 different scheduled flights per day. Qantas is also increasing the number of routes on which it flies UPR from 15 to 19.
UPR, under which airlines can specify their own flight path based on weather conditions, is already used in Australian-managed airspace over the Pacific and Indian oceans and across large areas of upper airspace across Australia. By taking advantage of tailwinds and avoiding headwinds, pilots can reduce flying time and thus the amount of fuel used by the aircraft.
Prior to the regional trial which commenced in 2024, the use of UPR on international routes has been limited due to the complexity of coordinating routes across international airspace boundaries and with airspace managed by different ANSPs.
Now, participating airlines have reported significant fuel-cost benefits from the UPR trial, with one carrier recording close to a 2000kg saving on a single Hong Kong-Sydney flight.
In the first five months of the UPR trial, three airlines recorded 614,966kg total fuel savings and 1,394,134kg total carbon emissions savings.
This trial contributed to total carbon emission savings from UPR in Australian-managed airspace of 4,231 metric tonnes in May 2025, up 37 per cent when compared to the same month in 2024, in data published in Airservices' Australian Aviation Network Overview Report for May 2025 (see figure 9, p.6).
Airservices Australia Chief Executive Officer Rob Sharp said the organisation was pleased with the UPR trial results, with the flexible routing maximising efficiency, convenience and sustainability, without compromising on safety.
"Shorter travel times improve both the traveller experience and the sustainability of air travel," Mr Sharp said. "The fuel savings and carbon emissions add up quickly over multiple flights, so it is great to be able to bring in more operators and city pairs.
"We're thrilled to be expanding the UPR trial in close collaboration with other regional ANSPs and airlines, who've been crucial to its success. Collaboration enables innovation, solutions and flexibility in what is a complex system.
"It's important for Airservices to support airlines to reduce carbon emissions in line with our environment and sustainability strategy."
Qantas Head of Fleet Operations Allen Dickinson said the airline was pleased to play an integral role as part of the UPR trial expansion.
"User-preferred routing continues to deliver great benefits for Qantas, enabling further fuel and time savings on our international flights to and from Australia," Mr Dickinson said.
Fiji Airports Chief Executive Officer Mesake Nawari said the UPR trial's positive outcomes aligned with his organisation's "ongoing sustainability commitment".
"Fiji Airports is honoured to join the expanded regional UPR trial in partnership with Airservices Australia and our fellow air navigation service providers across the Asia-Pacific," Mr Nawari said.
"By enabling more flexible, weather-optimised flight paths, we are supporting airlines to reduce fuel burn, cut carbon emissions, and deliver faster and more efficient services for air travellers.
"We look forward to working closely with our regional partners to ensure the continued success of the UPR program and to contribute meaningfully to the global aviation sector's long-term goal of net-zero emissions by 2050."
New Zealand's air navigation service provider, Airways, is proud to be working alongside airlines and its neighbouring ANSPs to support the adoption UPRs throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
"This collaboration not only helps improve efficiency, but also brings tangible benefits in terms of fuel savings and cost reductions for airlines," Airways General Manager Air Traffic Services Ben Girard said.
"Supporting sustainable aviation is a core part of Airways' strategic direction. By leading airspace management initiatives that focus on optimising flight paths, we are helping the industry reduce fuel consumption and operational costs while also working towards long-term environmental goals."
About Airservices
Airservices Australia is a government-owned organisation responsible for safely and efficiently managing air traffic in 11 per cent of the world's airspace, as well as the provision of aviation rescue fire fighting services at Australia's busiest airports. We are regulated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and work closely with our customers and industry to support the long-term growth of the aviation industry.
