What is the main goal of air traffic separation?

The primary purpose of air traffic separation is to prevent collisions and ensure the safety of aircraft in proximity to one another during flight. This is crucial because the airspace can be very crowded, and without effective separation measures, the risk of mid-air collisions would increase significantly. Air traffic controllers use various techniques such as vertical separation (assigning different altitudes to aircraft) and lateral separation (ensuring aircraft are spaced apart horizontally) to maintain safe distances between flights.

While maximizing passenger loading, enhancing flight efficiency and speed, and facilitating ground operations are important aspects of the aviation industry, they are not the primary goal of air traffic separation. Safety remains the overarching priority in air traffic management, guiding all operational procedures and regulations.