APANSO established - the Voice of Private Air Navigation Organisations

The Association of Private ANS Organisations (APANSO) has announced its formal establishment. The Association was created in recognition of the increasingly important role independent, commercial companies play throughout Europe’s aviation ecosystem. Safety is, and always will, remain the key to service provision. However, APANSO brings additional value through its members' expertise, innovation, customer focus, operational flexibility, and commercially driven service delivery.

Founded by ACR Aviation Capacity Resources AB (ACR) and Skyway, two of Europe’s leading independent Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), APANSO has been established to provide a dedicated and constructive voice for private entities involved in the delivery, support and advancement of the Air Navigation Services throughout Europe.

The association is open to independent and privately owned organizations from across the sector, including ANSPs, meteorological solution and service providers, training organizations, technology and equipment companies, engineering and technical service providers, and others supporting the safe and effective delivery of Air Navigation Services.

Choice as a Driver of Performance

The evidence is clear: choice drives performance. The Association promotes the value of market principles within Air Navigation Services. The key lies in transparent access to opportunities and fair competition, encouraging accountability, ownership, innovation and continuous improvement.

Exposing appropriate parts of the industry to choice and market principles strengthens transparency and accountability. Greater efficiency, responsiveness and added value can follow, supporting better outcomes for airports, airlines, passengers, regulators, Member States and the aviation industry as a whole.

APANSO advocates for safe, efficient and performance-driven service delivery within robust regulatory and safety frameworks. Its objective is not to promote any single provider or ownership model, but to help create an environment in which independent offerings can be considered fairly, customers can make informed choices, and all providers have strong incentives to deliver excellence.

A Constructive Partner for European Aviation

APANSO has started to engage with policymakers, regulators, airports, airlines, public and private ANSPs, industry associations and other stakeholders on issues affecting the future development of Air Navigation Services in Europe. The Association will contribute evidence-based perspectives to policy and regulatory discussions, as well as operational, technological and market developments affecting the sector. It will also provide a platform through which private Air Navigation Organisations can collaborate, exchange expertise and contribute collectively to safe, resilient and future-oriented aviation. APANSO and its members stand ready to offer support and guidance to industry stakeholders, based on their collective expertise and practical experience from some of Europe’s first and leading commercial ANS operations.

APANSO’s chair, Raquel Martinez Arnaiz commented on the launch of APANSO: “Private organisations are an established and important part of Europe’s Air Navigation Services landscape. From operational service provision to engineering, training and technology, they contribute expertise, innovation and customer-focused solutions across the aviation ecosystem. APANSO has been established to bring these organisations together with a common voice and to contribute constructively to the development of Air Navigation Services in Europe. We believe that transparency, accountability and choice help drive performance. By enabling aviation stakeholders to benefit from independent offerings, innovation and fair competition where appropriate, APANSO can help support a stronger, more resilient and more customer-focused aviation sector.”

APANSO will be present at the European Aviation Conference (EAC) November 4-5, 2026 in St. Gallen. An industry launch with partners is planned for spring 2027.