Annual Monitoring Report 2022 - Portugal
Contextual information
National performance plan adopted following Commission Decision (EU) 2022/767 of 13 April 2022
List of ACCs 1
Lisbon ACC
No of airports in the scope of the performance plan
≥80’K 2
<80’K 8
Exchange rate (1 EUR=)
2017: 1 EUR
2022: 1 EUR
Share of Union-wide traffic (TSUs) 2022 3.4%
Share of Union-wide en route costs 2022 2.0%
Share en route / terminal costs 2022 78% / 22%
En route charging zone(s)
Portugal Continental
Terminal charging zone(s)
Portugal
Main ANSP
• NAV Portugal (Continental)
Other ANSPs
• Estado Maior da Força Aérea
• Estado Maior da Armada
MET Providers
• IPMA
Traffic (En route traffic zone)
▪ Portugal recorded 610K actual IFR movements in 2022, +76% compared to 2021 (345K).
▪ Actual 2022 IFR movements were +8.2% above the plan (563K).
▪ Actual 2022 IFR movements represent 94% of the actual 2019 level (651K).
▪ Portugal recorded 3,695K actual en route service units in 2022, +86% compared to 2021 (1,988K).
▪ Actual 2022 service units were +11% above the plan (3,316K).
▪ Actual 2022 service units represent 91% of the actual 2019 level (4,060K).
Safety (Main ANSP)
▪ NAV Portugal has already exceeded the RP3 EoSM targets in 2020 and remained on or above targets since then. NAV Portugal implemented continuous monitoring process with the development of new tools and indicators to ensure maintaining current safety performance.
▪ Portugal recorded stable performance with respect to safety occurrences. The rate of separation infringement decreased while the rate of runway incursion remained at a comparable level despite the traffic increase. The NSA was in the process of reviewing the State Safety Plan (SSP) related to monitoring of occurrences and implementation and efficiency of specific measures.
▪ NAV Portugal could improve its safety management by implementing automated safety data recording systems.
Environment (Member State)
▪ Portugal achieved a KEA performance of 1.52% compared to its target of 1.80% and contributed positively towards achieving the Union-wide target. KEA improved by 0.13 p.p. compared to 2021.
▪ KEP and SCR slightly improved compared to 2021 levels.
▪ The share of CDO flights decreased by 2.93% compared to 2021.
▪ During 2022, additional time in terminal airspace increased from 0.83 to 1.54 min/flight, while additional taxi out time increased from 1.64 to 2.69 min/flight.
Capacity (Member State)
▪ Portugal registered 0.63 minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2022, which has been adjusted to 0.67 during the post-ops adjustment process, thus not achieving the local target value of 0.13.
▪ The average number of IFR movements was 6% below 2019 levels in Portugal in 2022.
▪ A 25% increase in the number of ATCOs in OPS is expected by the end of RP3. The actual value remained below the 2022 plan in Lisbon ACC.
▪ The system transition in Lisbon ACC was the key reason behind delays in Portugal in 2022.
▪ Delays were highest between April and October, mostly due to ATC Capacity and adverse weather conditions.
▪ The share of delayed flights with delays longer than 15 minutes in Portugal increased by 16.23 p.p. compared to 2021 and was higher than 2019 values.
▪ The yearly total of sector opening hours in Lisbon ACC was 33,129 in 2022, showing a 2.1% increase compared to 2021. Sector opening hours are 6.5% below 2019 levels.
▪ Lisbon ACC registered 19.33 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2022, being 0.4% above 2019 levels.
Cost-efficiency (En route/Terminal charging zone(s))
▪ The en route 2022 actual unit cost of Portugal was 32.34 €2017, 21% lower than the determined unit cost (40.78 €2017). The terminal 2022 actual unit cost was 123.20 €2017, 18% lower than the determined unit cost (150.21 €2017).
▪ The en route 2022 actual service units (3,695K) were 11% higher than the determined service units (3,316K).
▪ The en route 2022 actual total costs were 16 M€2017 (-12%) lower than planned. It was mainly caused by lower staff costs (-9.5 M€2017, or -10%) due to the performance of the defined pension plans, and lower depreciation costs (-3.1 M€2017, or -22%) as a result of the postponement of the implementation of the new ATM system as requested by the Network Manager.
▪ Portugal presented a deviation from the criteria to achieve capacity targets, which was considered justified. Considering that costs are significantly lower and that the 2022 en route capacity targets have not been achieved, the situation raises serious concern. The PRB invites the NSA to analyse the discrepancies and identify their reasons and the Member State to rectify the situation to ensure that the additional means granted through the capacity deviation are used to address the capacity issues.
▪ NAV Portugal spent 16 M€2017 in 2022 related to costs of investments, 19% less than determined (19 M€2017), driven by the postponement of the new ATM system as explained above.
▪ The en route actual unit cost incurred by users in 2022 was 38.24€, while the terminal actual unit cost incurred by users was 145.82€.