What Borealis Alliance does

Borealis Alliance is a voluntary collaboration of Air Navigation Service Providers formed in 2012, currently comprising ten members: Avinor (Norway), EANS (Estonia), Fintraffic (Finland), Isavia ANS (Iceland), LFV (Sweden), LGS (Latvia), Oro Navigacija (Lithuania, joined March 2025), NATS (UK), and Naviair (Denmark). It manages airspace coordination across approximately 12.5 million km² of Northern Europe, covering 39% of European airspace and handling 4.2 million flights per year. Its flagship initiative is the Borealis Free Route Airspace (FRA) programme, which enables airlines and business aviation operators to plan and fly direct routes across member-state airspace without following predefined ATS routes; NEFRA went live in 2017 and NATS implemented the first UK FRA in December 2021. The portfolio also includes an Environmental Performance Initiative, the SESAR 3 JU CONCERTO contrail-avoidance project, a Cyber Security initiative, the U-Space/Unmanned Traffic Management programme, a joint Customer Charter, and a Flexible and Scalable Ratings and Endorsements initiative for ATC training harmonization.

The alliance operates on commercial business-partnering principles without regulatory or State-mandated structure, governed by a rotating Board (currently chaired by Raine Luojus of Fintraffic with Saulius Batavičius of Oro Navigacija as Vice-Chair). Day-to-day operations are led by Alliance Director Kalmer Sütt (effective March 2026, based in Tallinn), supported by a small secretariat of approximately five staff. Borealis Alliance itself does not generate direct revenue; member ANSPs collect air navigation charges from airspace users, while Borealis is funded historically through European Commission grants (€71.8 million in Connecting Europe Facility awards in 2014 and 2015 for the FRA programme) and member contributions. Customer engagement occurs through the joint Customer Charter, industry events such as Airspace World and World ATM Congress, and direct airline consultation (e.g., Finnair has publicly endorsed the FRA programme).

Borealis is a non-commercial, non-investment-grade entity with no external shareholders, no parent company, and no traditional equity structure; the entity exists to deliver operational and environmental performance improvements that no single ANSP could achieve independently.

Name

Borealis Alliance

Legal name

Borealis Alliance

Website

https://borealis.aero

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Borealis Alliance is a voluntary collaboration of ten North European Air Navigation Service Providers that delivers cross-border Free Route Airspace, enabling airlines and business aviation operators to fly direct routes across 12.5 million km² covering 39% of European airspace.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air Traffic Management Services

NAICS

Air Traffic Control (488111)

SIC

Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581)

akta.pro primary industry

Airport & Airspace Collaboration for Emissions Reduction (CDM, SESAR/NextGen, CCO/CDO) (THABANAH)

Keywords

• Air navigation services
• Free route airspace
• Air traffic management
• ANSP collaboration
• Cross-border airspace

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallinn

HQ country

Estonia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. ANSP Services (Indirect): Borealis Alliance itself does not generate direct revenue. It is a voluntary collaboration of Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) whose member organizations generate revenue through air navigation charges levied on airlines and airspace users. The Alliance facilitates cost savings and efficiency gains for members.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Borealis Alliance is a voluntary collaboration of North European Air Navigation Service Providers that delivers the Free Route Airspace (FRA) Programme, enabling airlines and business aviation operators to plan and fly the most cost-effective, fuel-efficient, and timely direct routes across approximately 12.5 million km² of member airspace without following pre-defined national ATS routes. The alliance also coordinates supporting initiatives covering environmental performance, cyber security, U-space/UTM, ATC training harmonization, and SESAR research projects.

Product overview

Borealis Alliance is a voluntary collaboration of nine North European Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) — Avinor (Norway), EANS (Estonia), Fintraffic (Finland), Isavia (Iceland), LFV (Sweden), LGS (Latvia), Oro Navigacija (Lithuania), NATS (UK), and Naviair (Denmark) — formed in 2012 to improve flight efficiency and reduce environmental impact across approximately 12.5 million km² of North European airspace covering roughly 39% of European traffic (4.2 million flights per year). Its core offering is the Borealis Free Route Airspace (FRA) Programme, an award-winning, cross-border initiative that enables airlines to fly optimal direct routes across member airspace, saving fuel, time, and costs. The portfolio also includes an Environmental Performance Initiative, the SESAR 3 JU CONCERTO project for climate-optimized traffic flow, a Cyber Security initiative, a U Space/Unmanned Traffic Management initiative, a Flexible and Scalable Ratings and Endorsements programme for ATC training harmonisation, and a joint Customer Charter. The alliance operates without a public API, focusing on business-to-business collaboration between ANSPs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Borealis Free Route Airspace (FRA) Programme The Borealis Alliance's flagship initiative enabling airline and business aviation customers to plan and fly the most cost-effective, fuel-efficient, and timely routes across the entire airspace managed by Borealis members without following pre-defined routes within each member country's airspace. Spans nine to ten North European ANSPs and is one of the largest cross-border free route airspace programmes in the world.
• Environmental Performance Initiative An initiative placing environment at the highest priority, promoting achievements in horizontal and vertical flight efficiency, and setting new improvement goals to demonstrate the contribution of ANSPs to aviation environmental performance under the European Green Deal.
• CONCERTO (SESAR 3 JU Project) A SESAR 3 JU Industrial Research project developing a concept of operations for contrail avoidance and optimizing traffic flow based on CO2, non-CO2, and ATC capacity trade-offs, including forecasting climate-sensitive areas and integrating new climate mitigation means into daily operations.
• Cyber Security Initiative Coordination and collaboration on cyber security among ANSPs within the Borealis Alliance.
• U Space Initiative An initiative focused on Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM), recognizing that ANSPs will play an essential role in managing the increasing use of drones and other autonomous aerial vehicles.
• Flexible and Scalable Ratings and Endorsements A collaboration project aimed at supporting the next generation of air traffic controllers and enhancing overall efficiency of European air traffic management, including gathering comparative data on training duration and success rates across ANSPs.
• Customer Charter A joint Customer Charter setting out a common approach to customers, customer care principles, service standards, and joint initiatives for improvements to customer services, agreed upon and adhered to by all Borealis Members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 151,281 tonnes of CO2 saved between 2018-2020 through NEFRA implementation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, emerging and notable.

• Oro Navigacija (Lithuania)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2025Oro Navigacija joined Borealis Alliance in March 2025, becoming the 10th member. Hosted strategic workshop in Vilnius (March 2026). CEO Saulius Batavičius serves as Vice-Chair of the Board.
• Avinor (Norway)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2012Avinor is a founding member of Borealis Alliance (2012). Avinor provides air navigation services across Norway including the Bodø Oceanic FIR. Avinor participates in the Free Route Airspace programme and signed agreement with NATS for common AIM solution.
• Lennuliiklusteeninduse AS (EANS) - EstoniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2012EANS is a founding member of Borealis Alliance (2012). Estonian Air Navigation Services participates in all alliance initiatives including Free Route Airspace, NEFAB cooperation, and environmental performance activities.
• Fintraffic Air Navigation Services Ltd (Finland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2012Fintraffic (formerly Finavia) is a founding member of Borealis Alliance. Hosted European Commission and INEA visit showcasing SESAR deployment. Currently Vice-Chair Raine Luojus from Fintraffic serves on the Board.
• Isavia ANS (Iceland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2012Isavia ANS is a founding member of Borealis Alliance. Has implemented multiple steps of the FRA programme and hosted the 10th anniversary board meeting in Reykjavík.
• LFV (Sweden)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2012LFV is a founding member of Borealis Alliance. Former Director General Ann Persson Grivas served as Board Chair (2020-2022). Participated in COOPANS system collaboration winning SES award.
• Latvijas Gaisa Satiksme (LGS) - LatviacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2012LGS is a founding member of Borealis Alliance. Hosted board meeting in Riga (October 2025) and participates in NEFAB FRA implementation.
• NATS (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2012NATS is a founding member of Borealis Alliance. Implemented first UK FRA deployment (December 2021) over 150,000nm² of airspace. Signed common AIM solution agreement with Avinor.
• Naviair (Denmark)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2012Naviair is a founding member of Borealis Alliance. Currently hosts the Board Chair (Thorsten Elkjær, COO). HQ in Copenhagen used for board meetings.
• SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBorealis Alliance participates in SESAR JU projects including CONCERTO - developing concept of operations for contrail avoidance combining CO2 and non-CO2 metrics. Borealis signed MoU on SESAR 3 partnership.
• European CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBorealis Alliance collaborates with European Commission on Single European Sky initiative. FRA programme awarded inaugural SES award by EC. Borealis participates in SESII+ discussions.
• EurocontrolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEurocontrol Network Manager provides data for FRA performance analysis. Borealis Executive Director featured in Eurocontrol Aviation Sustainability Briefing. Borealis contributes to ICAO performance targets.
• ANCEN (Aviation Non-CO2 Emissions Network)emergingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBorealis participates in ANCEN's first plenary meeting launching cooperation on non-CO2 emissions including contrails and SAF. Represents industry side in science-industry bridge building.
• COOPANS (COOPeration between Air Navigation Service providers)notableTechnology or IntegrationCOOPANS is an industrial ATM system collaboration involving LFV, Naviair, and others that won SES award. Borealis members LFV and Naviair participate, reducing costs and harmonizing system development.
• National Supervisory Authorities (NSAs) of Nine StatesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSAs from nine North European states established cross-border regulatory group to support Borealis FRA programme. Workshop hosted by UK CAA to explore consistent regulatory approach.
• SESAR Deployment ManagernotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with SESAR Deployment Manager on FRA implementation. SDM provided data for performance analysis and participated in Finland visit showcasing deployment.
• EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency)emergingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBorealis participates in EASA Flight Emissions Label initiative and ANCEN network for tackling non-CO2 emissions effects.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Eurocontrol: Eurocontrol is the European intergovernmental organization coordinating air traffic management across 41 member states. It is a broad incumbent peer to Borealis because it provides the Network Manager role, performance benchmarking, and central regulatory oversight that Borealis's initiatives feed into and rely upon.
• SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU): SESAR JU is the EU's public-private partnership managing ATM research and modernization. It is a peer/incumbent in the same ecosystem because Borealis is a deployment partner and collaborates on SESAR 3 projects (e.g., CONCERTO), but SESAR is the broader regulatory/research framework within which Borealis operates.

Regional players

• Skyguide: Skyguide is the Swiss ANSP and a member of FABEC. It is a regional peer to Borealis's member ANSPs, operating comparable ATC services under a non-EU regulatory model and a FAB structure that competes with Borealis's voluntary approach.
• DSNA (Direction des Services de la Navigation Aérienne): DSNA is the French ANSP and a member of FABEC. It is a regional peer to Borealis's member ANSPs, operating comparable ATC infrastructure under a different FAB model, and serves as a benchmark for European ANSP collaboration alternatives.
• ENAIRE: ENAIRE is the Spanish ANSP and a member of FABEC. It is a regional peer comparable to Borealis's member ANSPs, providing ATM services across a different (South-West European) geographic footprint and a contrasting collaboration model.
• DFS (Deutsche Flugsicherung): DFS is the German ANSP and a member of FABEC rather than Borealis. It is a regional peer because it operates an equivalent ANSP function in a non-Borealis FAB, providing a comparable benchmark for European ANSP performance and collaborative airspace models.

Direct peers

• FABEC (Functional Airspace Block Europe Central): FABEC is a competing model of ANSP cooperation covering Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. It is the most direct comparator to Borealis Alliance because both execute multi-country cross-border airspace optimization, but FABEC is a regulatory FAB structure whereas Borealis is a voluntary commercial alliance.
• COOPANS (COOPeration between Air Navigation Service providers): COOPANS is an industrial ATM system collaboration involving several ANSPs including LFV (Sweden), Naviair (Denmark), and Austro Control, focused on harmonizing ATM systems and reducing costs. It is a direct peer to Borealis at the operational/technical layer, and several of its members (LFV, Naviair) sit inside Borealis, making COOPANS a complementary rather than competing collaboration.
• iTEC (Interoperability Through European Collaboration): iTEC is an ANSP alliance (including NATS, Isavia, Avinor, and others) that develops common Flight Data Processing and controller tooling. It is a direct peer to Borealis as a multi-ANSP technical collaboration, with overlapping membership (NATS, Isavia, Avinor) that creates both cooperation and consortium-overlap dynamics.

Others

• NATS (UK Air Navigation Service Provider): NATS is a founding member of Borealis Alliance and the UK's primary ANSP. It is a peer in the sense that it independently operates ATC services and is comparable in scale and capability to other individual member ANSPs, but it is also a member inside Borealis rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/borealis_aero
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/borealis-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Borealis Alliance