Annual Monitoring Report 2023 - Germany
Contextual information
National performance plan adopted following Commission Decision (EU) 2023/177 of 14 December 2022
List of ACCs 4
Bremen ACC
Langen ACC
Karlsruhe UAC
Munich ACC
No of airports in the scope of the performance plan
≥80’K 7
<80’K 8
Exchange rate (1 EUR=)
2017: 1 EUR
2023: 1 EUR
Share of Union-wide traffic (TSUs) 2023 11.1%
Share of Union-wide en route costs 2023 14.0%
Share en route / terminal costs 2023 76% / 24%
En route charging zone(s)
Germany
Terminal charging zone(s)
Germany
Main ANSP
• DFS
Other ANSPs
• MUAC
MET Providers
• Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD)
Traffic (En route traffic zone)
▪ Germany recorded 2,928K actual IFR movements in 2023, +8% compared to 2022 (2,713K).
▪ Actual 2023 IFR movements were -8.1% below the plan (3,186K).
▪ Actual 2023 IFR movements represent 86% of the actual 2019 level (3,394K).
▪ Germany recorded 13,619K actual en route service units in 2023, +9% compared to 2022 (12,647K).
▪ Actual 2023 service units were -8.4% below the plan (14,863K).
▪ Actual 2023 service units represent 90% of the actual 2019 level (15,180K).
Safety (Main ANSP)
▪ DFS achieved the RP3 EoSM targets already in 2021 and retained the levels over 2022 and 2023. DFS continued to improve its safety performance and increased the level of safety promotion to level D in 2023.
▪ Germany reported a decrease in the rate of separation minima infringements and runway incursion in 2023 relative to 2022. Both rates below the Union-wide.
▪ The German NSA aims to improve the monitoring of safety occurrences. A procedure was implemented that was based on regular reviews and in-depth auditing of specific cases.
▪ DFS do not use automated safety data recording systems.
Environment (Member State)
▪ Germany achieved a KEA performance of 2.69% compared to its target of 2.30% and did not contribute positively towards achieving the Union-wide target.
▪ The NSA states that the effects of increased traffic and establishment of military corridors following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine are stabilising and flight efficiency is marginally improving.
▪ Both KEP and SCR improved in comparison with 2022. Despite the KEA target being missed, the improvement in SCR shows that Germany has improved the environmental efficiency of its airspace when accounting for impacts outside of its control.
▪ The share of CDO flights decreased marginally from 13.44% to 12.73% in 2023.
▪ During 2023, additional time in terminal airspace increased from 1.08 to 1.11 min/flight, while additional taxi out time increased from 1.81 min/flight to 2.28 min/flight.
Capacity (Member State)
▪ Germany registered 1.7 minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2023 which has increased to 1.93 during the post-ops adjustment process, thus not achieving the local target value of 0.27. Delays in Germany decreased by 0.27 minutes per flight year-on-year.
▪ Delays were highest between May and October, mostly due to ATC system implementation, adverse weather conditions and ATC capacity.
▪ The share of delayed flights with delays longer than 15 minutes in Germany decreased by 6 p.p. compared to 2022 and was lower than 2019 values.
▪ The average number of IFR movements was 14% below 2019 levels in Germany in 2023.
▪ In Bremen the number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to increase by 7% by 2024, with the actual value being below the 2023 plan by 52 FTEs. In Karlsruhe the number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to increase by 22% by 2024, with the actual value being below the 2023 plan by 59 FTEs. In Langen the number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to stay the same by 2024, with the actual value being below the 2023 plan by 78 FTEs. In Munich the number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to decrease by 1% by 2024, with the actual value being below the 2023 plan by 42 FTEs.
▪ The yearly total of sector opening hours in Langen ACC was 122,177, showing a no change compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 7.7% below 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Munich ACC was 103,452, showing a 6.9% increase compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 6.8% above 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Karlsruhe ACC was 141,432, showing a 2.5% increase compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 2.3% below 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Bremen ACC was 82,988, showing a 0.8% decrease compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 20.1% below 2019 levels.
▪ Langen ACC registered 8.92 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 11.7% below 2019 levels. Munich ACC registered 9.01 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 27.2% below 2019 levels. Karlsruhe ACC registered 12.45 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 1.5% below 2019 levels. Bremen ACC registered 5.67 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 10.4% below 2019 levels.
▪ Year-on-year traffic growth in Germany was below the Union-wide average at 8%, being, on average, 13% below the STATFOR October 2021 base forecast, with significant differences between ACCs and even between sector groups, adversely affecting already saturated sectors. While there have been improvements in capacity provision at some of the ACCs, the lack of ATCOs and difficulties with ATM system upgrades are still creating a capacity gap which will have to be closed in the coming years.
Cost-efficiency (En route/Terminal charging zone(s))
▪ The en route 2023 actual unit cost of Germany was 62.96 €2017, -0.5% lower than the determined unit cost (63.29 €2017). The terminal 2023 actual unit cost was 227.93 €2017, +15% higher than the determined unit cost (198.63 €2017).
▪ The en route 2023 actual service units (14M) were -8.8% lower than the determined service units (15M).
▪ In 2023, the en route actual total costs were -83 M€2017 lower (-8.8%) than determined. This substantial reduction was primarily due to the reduction in staff costs (-79 M€2017, or -11%). This reduction was influenced by the impact of the inflation as, in nominal terms, there was a slight increase in actual staff costs of +0.6% when compared to the determined figures. The PRB highlights that the actual number of ATCOs in OPS FTEs for DFS were -16% below plan.
▪ DFS spent 93 M€2017 in 2023 related to costs of investments for both en route and terminal charging zones, -16% less than determined (111 M€2017). This reduction was a result of a significant underspend in the cost of capital (-59%), which is largely due to lower interest rates, affected by the pension scheme’s interest balance and the ANSP’s net interest income. Additionally, there is a gap in depreciation costs (-13%), mainly as a result of the decision not to proceed with the implementation of iCAS in Langen.
▪ The en route actual unit cost incurred by users in 2023 was 78.59€ (+16% above the 2023 DUC), while the terminal actual unit cost incurred by users was 276.30€ (+29% above the 2023 DUC). The difference between the AUCU and the DUC for the en route charging zone is primarily attributed to the inflation adjustment (+114 M€), while for the terminal charging zone, it is mainly due to lower than planned SUs (-18%).
▪ The PRB will take into consideration the implementation of the RP3 performance plans when assessing the RP4 cost-efficiency targets and urges Germany to take immediate, adequate, and proportionate action to implement the relevant ATCO and investment plans committed to in the RP3 performance plan.