Annual Monitoring Report 2021 - Switzerland
Contextual information
National performance plan adopted following Commission Decision (EU) 2023/178 of 14 December 2022
List of ACCs 2
Geneva ACC
Zurich ACC
No of airports in the scope of the performance plan
≥80’K 2
<80’K 0
Exchange rate (1 EUR=)
2017: 1.11124 CHF
2021: 1.08084 CHF
Share of Union-wide traffic (TSUs) 2021 1.3%
Share of Union-wide en route costs 2021 2.7%
Share en route / terminal costs 2021 63% / 37%
En route charging zone(s)
Switzerland
Terminal charging zone(s)
Switzerland
Main ANSP
• Skyguide
Other ANSPs
–
MET Providers
• Office Féderal de la Météorologie et de Climatologie MétéoSuisse
Traffic (En route traffic zone)
▪ Switzerland recorded 623K actual IFR movements in 2021, +31% compared to 2020 (477K).
▪ Actual 2021 IFR movements were +1.3% above the plan (615K).
▪ Actual 2021 IFR movements represent 53% of the actual 2019 level (1,177K).
▪ Switzerland recorded 897K actual en route service units in 2021, +38% compared to 2020 (650K).
▪ Actual 2021 service units were +2.1% above the plan (879K).
▪ Actual 2021 service units represent 65% of the actual 2019 level (1,769K).
Safety (Main ANSP)
▪ Skyguide achieved the RP3 EoSM targets in all management objectives, except in safety risk management which is however aligned to the plan. In 2021, the NSA reviewed Skyguide safety management function and concluded that the ANSP is expected to achieve the EoSM targets toward the end of RP3. Skyguide implemented specific measures in all safety management areas to maintain safety performance.
▪ Switzerland recorded a lower rate of runway incursions, but a high rate of separation minima infringements in 2021 relative to 2020. Both rates are below the Union-wide average rates.
▪ Skyguide should improve its safety management by implementing automated safety data recording systems for runway incursions.
Environment (Member State)
▪ Switzerland achieved a KEA performance of 3.87% compared to its target of 3.95% and contributed positively towards achieving the Union-wide target. KEA improved by 0.34 p.p. compared to 2020.
▪ Both SCR and KEP improved in 2021 by 5% and 6% respectively.
▪ The share of CDO flights remained at similar levels to 2020.
▪ Both additional time in terminal airspace and additional taxi out time improved in comparison to 2020 by 14% and 11% respectively.
Capacity (Member State)
▪ Switzerland registered 0.08 minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2021, thus meeting the local breakdown value of 0.12. Geneva ACC accumulated 0.03 minutes of en route delay which was below the ACC reference value of 0.10 and Zurich ACC accumulated 0.09 minutes of delay which was also below the ACC reference value of 0.10.
▪ Delays should be considered in the context of lower traffic: in Switzerland, IFR movements in 2021 were 47% lower than in 2019.
▪ Traffic is expected to grow, with 2019 levels likely being reached in 2023 in high growth scenario or 2024 in the base growth sce-nario. The number of ATCOs in OPS is planned to be reduced slightly in both ACCs during RP3.
▪ Delays were highest in February and March and between June and October, mostly due to ATC Capacity issues and adverse weather conditions.
▪ The share of delayed flights with delays longer than 15 minutes in Switzerland decreased by 2.5 p.p. compared to 2020 and was lower than 2019 values.
▪ The yearly total of sector opening hours in Geneva ACC was 22,971, showing an 8.9% increase compared to 2020. Sector opening hours are 28.9% below 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Zurich ACC was 23,041, showing an 8.8% increase compared to 2020. Sector opening hours are 35.1% below 2019 levels.
▪ Geneva ACC registered 15.43 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2021, being 26.8% below 2019 levels. Zurich ACC registered 18.65 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2021, being 19.5% below 2019 levels.
Cost-efficiency (En route/Terminal charging zone(s))
▪ The en route 2020/2021 actual unit cost of Switzerland was 206.71 €2017, +1.5% higher than the determined unit cost (203.64 €2017). The terminal 2020/2021 actual unit cost was 742.45 €2017, -4.5% lower than the determined unit cost (777.80 €2017).
▪ The en route 2021 actual service units (897K) were +2.1% higher than determined (879K).
▪ In 2021, Switzerland decreased total costs by -12 M€2017 (-7.3%) compared to determined costs. The decrease was mainly driven by a decrease in staff costs (-23 M€2017, or -18%), due to a provision on retirement age expected for 2021 but now postponed to 2022.
▪ However, the decrease in several cost categories is not transparent as it includes the non-invoicing of the financing of the delegated airspace, that was initially determined as negative exceptional items. In this regards, Switzerland should improve clarity in the reporting.
▪ Skyguide spent 43 M€2017 in 2021 related to costs of investments, in line with the determined.
▪ The en route actual unit cost incurred by users in 2020/2021 was 212.38€, while the terminal actual unit cost incurred by users was 814.95€.