The number of air traffic routes over Asia will be radically reduced during the potentially dangerous millennium period to reduce the risk of collisions caused by the Y2K computer bug.
Instead of the normal spaghetti-like maze, a limited number of simplified air routes will operate to minimise the number of planes crossing one another's paths.
David Behrens, Asia-Pacific assistant director for the International Air Transport Association, said: 'We will put in a system where management of air traffic will be at a minimum.' The simplified system will come into effect one or two hours before midnight on New Year's Eve, and remain until international aviation authorities are confident that any computer difficulties caused by the millennium bug have been resolved.
The whole of East Asia and the Pacific will be covered, including air space over Hong Kong and China.
Other regions around the world will implement similar plans.
'We go to extremes when you talk about safety,' said Mr Behrens, speaking at an Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum Y2K symposium in Singapore yesterday.
