(BRUSSELS) - A group of low-cost European airlines called on Wednesday for a broad shake-up of the way that air traffic is managed in Europe's crowded skies, citing big gains for the environment and consumers.

Ryanair chief executive and founding member of the European Low Fares Airline Association, Michael O'Leary accused national and EU authorities of stalling on plans to reform Europe's air traffic management.

"The European Union's Single European Sky project ... has been gathering dust for over 10 years because those responsible for the gross inefficiency of the system ... are dragging their heels," he said.

In addition to other recommendations, the association called for the creation by 2010 of a single European aviation authority that would handle both traffic management and safety issues.

Under the association's plan, the new authority would incorporate existing national authorities as its regional offices.

Europe's airspace is currently managed by a patchwork of national authorities which means that air routes are often determined by national boundaries rather than the most direct course from one point to another.

"European air traffic management inefficiency caused a scandalous 21 million minutes of flight delays in 2007," O'Leary said.

"Removing this inefficiency would equate to eliminating the emissions of 70 short-haul aircraft operating non-stop for a year and would deliver massive benefits to consumers and to the environment," he added.

Members of the European Low Fares Airline Association include easyJet, flybe, Myair.com, Norwegian, Ryanair, Sky Europe, Sterling, Sverige Flyg, transavia.com and Wizz Air.

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