(BRUSSELS) - The European Commission called on Wednesday for Europe to shake up the way it manages its highly fragmented airspace so that carriers waste less time, money and fuel.

The European Union executive arm has long argued the bloc needs to use its airspace more efficiently, but member states have been reluctant to yield any authority over air traffic control.

In the face of such resistance, the commission sketched plans proposing only minor steps, focusing on improving research, technology, links between national air traffic managers and setting performance targets to ensure progress.

"The skies in Europe are still fragmented. As a consequence, flights are on average 49 kilometres longer than needed," lamented EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani.

"Our proposal aims at helping reduce queues to take off and land, passengers will have more chance of arriving on time. At the same time the package will help us deliver safer and greener flying, while creating more capacity."

The commission already brought forward plans to improve the way airspace is managed at the European level back in 2002, before the bloc's ranks swelled from 15 members to 27.

However, progress on ending the fragmentation in Europe's has stalled since then.

Currently, carriers have to pay fees according to the distance their airplanes cover flying over a country's territory, discouraging member states from simplifying route networks that often date back decades.

Europe's crowded airspace is made all the more complicated by space allocated to the military, which in many cases has not been significantly updated to reflect current needs.

The commission estimates that the fragmentation of Europe's airspace costs one billion euros (1.55 billion dollars) every year and that shorter, direct routes could save five million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

The European Low Air Fares Association, which represents low-cost airlines and has championed a major overhaul of Europe's air traffic management, welcomed the commission's proposals.

"The current market situation of sky-rocketing oil prices makes more compelling than ever the case for an efficient air traffic management," the association's head John Hanlon said in a statement.

"This will lead to reduction in unnecessary fuel burn, resulting in lower emissions and lower operating costs," he added.

The association, whose members include such airlines as Easyjet and Ryanair, blamed the lack of progress so far on "protective national governments and strong resistance from air navigation service providers."

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