Capacity - Italy

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PRB monitoring

▪ Italy registered 0.17 minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2023 which has been adjusted to 0.14 during the post-ops adjustment process, thus not achieving the local target value of 0.11. Delays in Italy decreased by 0.01 minutes per flight year-on-year.

▪ Delays were highest between April and August, mostly due to adverse weather conditions.

▪ The share of delayed flights with delays longer than 15 minutes in Italy increased by 5 p.p. compared to 2022 and was lower than 2019 values.

▪ The average number of IFR movements was 1% above 2019 levels in Italy in 2023.

▪ The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to increase by 5% by 2024, with the actual value being below the 2023 plan in Brindisi by 2 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to increase by 10% by 2024, with the actual value being over the 2023 plan in Milano by 8 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to increase by 9% by 2024, with the actual value being below the 2023 plan in Padova by 6 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to decrease by 2% by 2024, with the actual value being over the 2023 plan in Rome by 8 FTEs.

▪ The yearly total of sector opening hours in Brindisi ACC was 26,280, showing an 8.3% increase compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 29.6% above 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Milano ACC was 63,763, showing a 22.9% decrease compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 26.7% below 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Padova ACC was 58,059, showing a 5.7% increase compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 4.1% above 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Rome ACC was 118,115, showing a 105.8% increase compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 114.8% above 2019 levels.

▪ Brindisi ACC registered 15.97 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 11.1% below 2019 levels. Milano ACC registered 14.95 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 42.5% above 2019 levels. Padova ACC registered 13.05 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 4.5% below 2019 levels. Rome ACC registered 7.78 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 52.6% below 2019 levels.

▪ Italy was badly affected by adverse weather in 2023, resulting in unusually high levels of en route ATFM delay. As the uncertainty of weather impact is likely to increase, Italy should work closely with the NM and all concerned stakeholders to mitigate weather impact as much as possible.

▪ Italy registered an average airport arrival ATFM delay of 0.15 minutes per flight in 2023, achieving the local target of 0.33 minutes.

▪ Compared to 2022, average arrival ATFM delays in Italy were 109% higher in 2023, while the number of IFR arrivals increased by 15%.

▪ The main reasons for delays were weather, accounting for 54% of delays, and other, non-ATC related causes, responsible for 46%.

En route performance

En route ATFM delay (KPI#1)

Summary of capacity performance

Italian ACCs experienced an increase in traffic from 1 664k flights with 254k minutes of ATFM delay (following NM post operations delay attribution process) in 2022 to 1 854k flights with 264k minutes of ATFM delay in 2023. For reference, in 2019, Italian ACCs handled 1 831k flights with 32k minutes of ATFM delays. There was an additional 56k minutes of ATFM delay originating in Italy that were re-attributed to the DFS via the NM post operations delay attribution process, according to the NMB agreement for eNM/S23 measures, to ameliorate the capacity shortfall in Karlsruhe UAC.

En route ATFM delays in 2023 were attributed to adverse weather (81%); ATC equipment (6%); industrial action (5%); Other (4%) and ATC capacity (3%). The amount of delays attributed to adverse weather in 2023 were 214k minutes. In 2018 with 1 753 flights, there were 16k minutes of attributed weather delay; in 2019 with 1 831k flights, there were 15k minutes of ATFM delay attributed to adverse weather; in 2022, with 1 854k flights there were 144k minutes of ATFM delays attributed to adverse weather.

NSA’s assessment of capacity performance

After the recovery observed during 2022, for Italy 2023 represented the year in which the crisis in the air traffic sector was finally overcome, with a total volume of flights at the end of the year that saw a result of +1,5% compared to 2019 - a pre-Covid reference year and a record year in terms of traffic levels handled - or +10,7% compared to 2022.

A substantial contribution to traffic growth and the increased development of service units was also ensured by the performance achieved in operational capacity, as measured by the flight punctuality indicator. In particular, despite a large volume of traffic, the punctuality recorded at the end of 2023 was at the highest level, with an average delay of 0,01 minutes per assisted flight, compared to the target for the year of 0,04 minutes (when considering only C, R, S, M, T and P causes).

The global ER target (0,11) wasn’t reached by ANSP due to weather; indeed, the delay was almost 0,13min just for weather reason. ANSP reached the capacity goal for the incentive ER and terminal schemes.

Monitoring process for capacity performance

Monthly monitoring and analysis of the operational performance at Country and single ACC level is carried out by ENAV. Checks are made against the value of ATFM generated delay per month and its exepcted trend across the year.

The post-operations performance adjustment process was conducted by ENAV during the year. At the beginning of summer 2023 a few disputation processes were initiated by ENAC in respect of NM to acknowledge the erroneous attribution to Italy of some enroute ATFM delays.

In addition during all the Summer 2023, the process of delay reattribution was put in place between NM and ENAV. The outcomes of the reconciliation process confirmed the figure of Capacity KPI #1 as presented by PRB in the current table (0.14 m/f). In addition to that, the supplementary Capacity ENR PI#1 which solely includes the ATM reasons of ATFM delay scored 0,01 min/flight.

In 2023 there were six reasons of Enroute ATFM delay: Weather (81.2%), ATC Equipment (6.4%), Industrial Action (4.8%), Other (4.0%), ATC Capacity (3.3%) and Other (0.2%). As such, the “ATM” reasons (ATC Equipment and Capacity) accounted only for a small part of the overall delay assignment. As represented in several fora, Italy is experiencing a huge increase of weather phenomena having impact on traffic flows and capacity.

Capacity planning

No remarks.

Application of Corrective Measures for Capacity (if applicable)

In 2023 there were six reasons of Enroute ATFM delay: Weather (81.2%), ATC Equipment (6.4%), Industrial Action (4.8%), Other (4.0%), ATC Capacity (3.3%) and P – Special Events (0.2%). As such, the “ATM” reasons (ATC Equipment and Capacity) accounted only for a small part of the overall delay assignment. As represented in several fora, Italy is experiencing a huge increase of weather phenomena having impact on traffic flows and capacity.

The capacity target entered in RP3 does not adequately take into account the anomalous increase in meteorological impact on air traffic flow. Over the last three years, weather conditions have had an over-increasing influence in delay reasons and we must recognize this as a factual reality when considering the baseline for these last two years of the RP3 period and the subsequent RP4.

It wasn’t possible to identify any further measures to reduce the delay due to meteorological phenomena, that have not already been adopted (e.g. opening new sectors, diversions etc.).

En route Capacity Incentive Scheme

ENAV: The incentive scheme is under review by the European Commission.
In accordance with Article 3(3)(a) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1627: The incentive scheme shall cover only the calendar years 2022 to 2024.

Other indicators

N/A

Terminal performance

Arrival ATFM delay (KPI#2)

Italy identified five airports as subject to RP3 monitoring. All of them have a fully implemented data flow that allows the proper monitoring of pre-departure delays. The quality of the reporting has improved, allowing in 2023 the calculation of the ATC pre-departure delay at the five airports. Traffic at the ensemble of these Italian airports in 2023 is 6% lower than in 2019, but increased 15% with respect to 2022.

Average arrival ATFM delays in 2023 was 0.15 min/arr, compared to 0.07 min/arr in 2022. National target was met. ATFM slot adherence has slightly deteriorated (2023: 95.8%; 2022: 96.1%).

The national average arrival ATFM delay at Italian airports in 2023 was 0.15 min/arr. 54% of all delays at Italian airports were attributed to weather and 23% associated with environmental issues mostly at Milan Malpensa.

According to the Italian monitoring report: This indicator includes all the reasons of ATFM delay. Nevertheless, as done in 2.3.1.A KPI#1, it is important to show the figures that really contributed to the achievement of the ATM performance. Below there are the figures for the “Terminal ATM-only arrival delay per flight” indicator which is limited to C,R,S,T,M,P causes for the following airports:
LIMC: 0.00 m/f
LIME: 0.00 m/f
LIML: 0.00 m/f
LIPZ: 0.00 m/f
LIRF: 0.02 m/f

The Italian performance plan sets a national target on arrival ATFM delay for 2023 of 0.33 min/arr. This target was met in 2023 with an actual performance of 0.15 min/arr. The incentive scheme uses modulated pivot values limited CRSTMP delay causes. This pivot value for CRSTMP is 0.04 min/arr in 2023. According to the attribution of the regulation reason, the actual CRSTMP value for 2023 is 0.006 min/arr. The NSA calculates a bonus of € 976 750.

Other terminal performance indicators (PI#1-3)

Airport level
Airport name
Avg arrival ATFM delay (KPI#2)
Slot adherence (PI#1)
ATC pre departure delay (PI#2)
All causes pre departure delay (PI#3)
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Fiumicino 0.02 0.00 0.04 0.06 NA 98.0% 98.1% 96.5% 95.5% NA% 0.64 0.89 1.55 1.93 NA 6.4 9.2 14.9 17.3 NA
Linate 0.06 0.03 0.13 0.06 NA 96.1% 96.9% 98.0% 98.2% NA% 0.05 0.06 0.38 0.63 NA 5.1 7.8 11.2 13.0 NA
Malpensa 0.02 0.05 0.09 0.38 NA 97.3% 97.2% 97.7% 97.7% NA% 0.36 0.64 1.18 1.23 NA 17.8 20.1 23.5 23.9 NA
Orio Al Serio 0.04 0.07 0.08 0.07 NA 94.8% 96.1% 93.9% 92.5% NA% 0.52 0.77 1.14 1.06 NA 8.0 12.5 21.4 20.7 NA
Venice Tessera 0.16 0.04 0.04 0.07 NA 90.0% 94.2% 92.8% 93.8% NA% 0.85 0.68 1.15 1.15 NA 9.8 12.0 20.1 20.3 NA

ATFM slot adherence

All Italian airports showed adherence above 90% and the national average was 95.8%. With regard to the 4.2% of flights that did not adhere, 2% was early and 2.2% was late.

According to the Italian monitoring report: Slightly worse performance values are reported in the prefilled tables for year 2023 with respect to what has been elaborated by Italy (ENAV) for the same year. The own elaboration is based upon NM/NMIR data and the difference is usually around one decimal percentage point. It can be explained by the use of different flight samples that eventually respected the ATFM slot time window.

ATC pre-departure delay

The performance at all four Italian airports in 2023 was similar to the observed in 2022, with Rome almost reaching 2 min/dep, the second highest ATC pre-departure delay in the SES monitored airports.

All causes pre-departure delay

The total (all causes) delay in the actual off block time at Italian airports in 2023 was similar to the observed delay in 2022. Once again, the highest pre-departure delays were observed at Milan Malpensa (LIMC: 2023: 23.95 min/dep) followed by Bergamo (LIME: 2023: 20.68 min/dep) and Venice (LIPZ: 2023: 20.27 min/dep), all of them above the SES average of 19.15 min/dep.