The BLUE MED Operational Analysis focused on a detailed airspace analysis of current and foreseen traffic flows. It identified inefficiencies and bottlenecks due to network structures and working methods constrained by national boundaries, and investigated possible solutions.

The final objective was a defined proposal for a short and long-term optimised organisation of the network structure in the Mediterranean area based on the FAB concept, and identification of complex areas and areas where additional complexity was added by the optimised network, to be redesigned in a later phase.

Particularly, the Feasibility study examined the ATS route network in this large study area, while maintaining an ECAC wide overview, and developed short term improvements to overcome identified deficiencies. In addition, an assessment of raw traffic demand was made to assist in the development of new ATS routes capable of offering shorter routings and a greater number of options to the Aircraft Operators.

This organisation, along with a coherent definition of new sector families, supported efficient traffic flows, based on actual needs rather than on existing national structures. It also addressed proper requirements to mitigate the environmental impact, in the spirit of the SES. All this work allowed the BLUE MED Definition Phase to go deeper into sector structures within identified sector families.

As mentioned before, the BLUE MED Operational Analysis was not limited to the national airspace of the four states composing the consortium, but extended to a larger airspace, since preliminary studies demonstrated that future direct traffic flows will extend diagonally to the area roughly organised on two main axes. These flows shall therefore be considered as a whole, independently from the political considerations and in strict cooperation