The area of responsibility of an air navigation service provider

A country may divide its national airspace into different segments and assign the management of the air traffic using them to different air navigation service providers.

This kind of assignment is especially common in border areas, for practical reasons. The airspace managed by skyguide is a prime example of this kind of cross-border air traffic management approach.

Skyguide's area of responsibility (yellow and blue together; Flight Information Region FIR in yellow, delegated airspace in blue).

Switzerland’s air navigation service provider is responsible for Swiss airspace and for adjacent airspace areas in France, Germany, Italy and Austria. In return, responsibility for managing air traffic in Southern Switzerland is assigned to Italy’s air navigation service provider.