Riga Hosts Borealis Alliance as Board Plans Strategic Development for 2026
The Borealis Alliance Board met on 28 October 2025 in Riga to review ongoing initiatives and prepare for a strategic workshop to be held in Vilnius next spring, where a renewed long-term direction for the Alliance will be defined.
Discussions highlighted the importance of supporting the next generation of air traffic controllers and enhancing the overall efficiency of European air traffic management. Board members and accountable representatives exchanged views on how to attract young professionals to the air traffic control (ATC) profession and how training methods could be further harmonized across the Alliance. Although operational environments differ among ANSPs, members agreed on the need to gather comparative data on training duration and success rates to identify opportunities for improvement.
The Board also approved key planning documents for 2026, including the Budget and Communications Plan, and reviewed financial performance updates. Status updates were presented on ongoing project activities — namely CONCERTO and Borealis FRA — including responses to inquiries from CINEA, final implementation steps for NATS, and potential future integration of Oro Navigacija, the newest Alliance member.
Borealis Alliance Board Chairman, Thorsten Elkjær of Naviair, emphasized the importance of embracing new opportunities in air traffic management.
Mr Elkjær expressed gratitude to Reynir Sigurðsson, Executive Director of Borealis Alliance, and Tanel Rautits, Policy and Regulatory Director, who attended their final Board meeting as part of the Alliance Executive Management team. He thanked them for their strong contribution to the Alliance’s development and collaborative achievements.
Looking ahead, the Board agreed to transform the next Borealis meeting — scheduled to take place in Vilnius in March 2026 — into a strategic workshop. The goal will be to refresh the Alliance’s long-term vision and define new objectives to ensure continued leadership in European ATM cooperation.
Mr Elkjær also thanked Davids Taurins, Chairman of the Board of the State Joint Stock Company Latvijas gaisa satiksme (LGS), for hosting the meeting in Riga and ensuring its success.
About the Borealis Alliance
The Borealis Alliance unites the Air Navigation Service Providers of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Together, they manage around 3.8 million flights per year across 12.5 million km² of North European airspace — forming Europe’s main transatlantic gateway.
The Alliance focuses on operational and environmental improvements, particularly through the implementation of Free Route Airspace, enabling airlines to optimize flight paths, improve predictability, and reduce emissions. In the current geopolitical environment, enhanced cooperation — especially on cross-border operations and military airspace needs — remains central to the Alliance’s mission.