The Leading Airport Magazine

The Met Office has launched an enhanced and upgraded version of its OpenRunway product to help airports and airlines operate as safely and efficiently as possible with the most accurate forecast information. New features include a mobile and tablet friendly interface, improved mapping and weather layer information and 24-hour forecast information.

“The OpenRunway product has proven to be an indispensable tool for airlines and airports alike – helping them to plan in advance to mitigate the risk and potential disruption that the weather can cause – from de-icing to taking off,” explains Ian Cameron, Executive Head of Aviation, Met Office.

Ian Cameron, Executive Head of Aviation, Met Office: “We always work closely with our customers and listen to their feedback on our products, and this has allowed us to enhance the product even further to meet the evolving needs of the aviation industry and provide a service which caters exactly to their needs.”

Open Runway is a one-stop-shop for forecasting both winter and summer hazards, alerting those who need to know the current and forthcoming weather conditions at an airport up to 10 days in advance, allowing all-important lead time to plan ahead and minimise disruption. This, in turn, helps reduce unnecessary runway closure and other costs, while maximising operational efficiency and safety.

The enhanced version of the product, launched on 5 September, takes the core aspects of the previous product and service that has proved hugely beneficial for customers, including a clear 24-hour overview, TAF and METAR access and customisable red, amber and green (RAG) thresholds, and refreshes it to meet new and evolving market demand – driven by in-depth exploratory work with users.

The new enhanced and upgraded OpenRunway product include features such as mobile and tablet friendly interface, improved mapping and weather layer information and 24-hour forecast information.

Keeping runways open whenever possible is vital in order to keep the UK aviation sector moving. OpenRunway is the Met Office’s online weather forecasting package that helps airport and airline operators make confident weather-sensitive decisions, helping flights run to schedule and ensuring the safety of passengers. As well as advising when runways require treatment to weather conditions breaching thresholds set by the user, it also advises when they can stay open during marginal weather situations, helping to reduce costs and minimise disruption to passengers, airlines and airports.