Originally Posted by
BoughtTheFarm
NATS can take the correct route of caution,
I will reiterate from previous posts because the message doesn't appear to be getting through.
NATS is an ANSP (Air Navigation Service Provider), one of 56 throughout Europe, note the words Service Provider. All ANSPs provide a service in accordance with the licence issued by its respective government (in addition to the rules, regulations and laws they're also required to obey). The decision by European ANSPs to close airspace is directly in compliance with the requirements of their licence. Some European governments have gone further than simply close controlled airspace and have allowed no flying at all. In the UK NATS mandate to close airspace only covers controlled airspace and the UK Government has not chosen to go down the path of closing all airspace, hence you have seen aircraft flying VFR outside of CAS.
In the UK the airspace regulator is SRG (Safety Regulation Group) of the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), a department of the Department of Transport. Why HM Government and the D of T have been silent and are chosing to hide behind NATS skirts I have no idea but NATS spokesmen are only talking heads. NATS does not enact policy, it complies with it.
BD