By Darren Ennis and Pete Harrison
STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - European lawmakers approved a plan on Wednesday aimed at straightening commercial air routes to cut fuel costs and carbon dioxide emissions growth from increasing numbers of aircraft.
Airlines, which contribute about 3 percent of Europe's CO2 output, waste millions of tonnes of fuel as they zig-zag between national airspaces in the 27-country European Union.
The Single European Sky II plan could cut billions of euros from airlines' annual costs as they head into a recession that industry bodies say could cut traffic by 5 percent this year.
"These proposals lead to a modernization of air traffic management which will render air transport more feasible, more sustainable and safer," European Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani said.
The EU has set itself the goal of cutting CO2 emissions to a fifth below 1990 levels by 2020, aiming to lead the world in battling climate change and the floods, droughts and famine that it is expected to bring.
Streamlining the 27 airspaces to just nine by June 2012 is widely seen as a quick way of curbing the growth of fuel costs and emissions and maintaining safety in ever more crowded skies.
A European Commission report last year said the existing route from Lyon in France to Frankfurt, Germany, was 40.7 percent longer than necessary, while the route from Amsterdam to Milan in Italy was 23 percent too long.
But Dudley Curtis of environment campaign group T&E said the climate benefits were exaggerated as reduced fuel costs would lead to lower ticket prices, in turn boosting demand for flights.
"It shouldn't be seen as an excuse to prolong aviation's special treatment -- exclusion from the Kyoto agreement (on climate change) along with VAT and fuel tax exemptions," he added.
Members of the European Parliament approved the streamlining measure, with 614 votes in favor and 47 against.
The Single European Sky II package builds on a 2004 proposal that was struck down by EU nations reluctant to cede national control over air space.
The plan would increase airport capacity, upgrade radar technology and expand the European Aviation Safety Agency's (EASA) power so it would also cover airports and air traffic management.
EASA will aim to improve safety by harmonizing rules on air traffic management and air navigation.
Parliament approved the safety measures with 662 votes in favor and 20 against. The final hurdle for the package of laws comes next week when EU transport ministers vote.
(Reporting by Darren Ennis; Writing by Pete Harrison; Editing by Giles Elgood)