London Area Control Centre

The London Area Control Centre (LACC) is an air traffic control facility operated by National Air Traffic Services (NATS) at Swanwick, near Fareham in Hampshire, southern England. It commenced operations on January 27, 2002, replacing the former site at West Drayton. The LACC handles aircraft over much of England and Wales, primarily within the London Flight Information Region (FIR). The facility also houses the London Terminal Control Centre (LTCC) since 2007, which manages aircraft inbound/outbound to London airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted, as well as lower-level enroute traffic. 'Swanwick Military' controllers are also based in the AC Operations room, indicating military involvement in the air traffic control services provided from this location. The LACC's airspace is divided into five Local Area Groups (LAGs), while the LTCC's airspace is split into TC North and TC South groups, further subdivided into sectors responsible for departures, arrivals, and approach sequencing for various airports, including RAF Northolt. The facility also manages en-route sectors for lower levels of airspace, feeding traffic into and out of the main London airports.