Services for airlines

The Met Office provides help and guidance to some of the biggest names in global aviation.

Through our International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) designated World Area Forecast Centre, we provide commercial airlines and carriers with high-level weather information for the entire globe, including:

• upper winds and temperatures;
• significant weather (SIGWX) charts;
• operational meteorology (OPMET), Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs), Meteorological Airfield Reports (METARs) and in-flight warnings of significant weather phenomena (SIGMETs).

Such data are distributed through the Satellite Distribution system (SADIS) and other commercial channels such as direct line and fax. Beyond these Annex 3 services, which enable users to make safety-critical and operational decisions on a daily basis, the Met Office also provides value-added services which allow airlines to improve route planning and streamline costs.