EU moves closer towards shorter and cheaper flights

The European Parliament on Wednesday was set to approve a legislative package on the so-called single European sky, aimed at shortening commercial airline routes, decreasing CO2 emissions and lowering ticket prices by 2012. Air traffic controllers however are opposed to parts of the plans, saying privatisation of air traffic systems threatens safety.

Under the deal, already agreed with EU leaders and the EU commission, current national air spaces would be pooled into "functional airspac...