Capacity - Malta

PRB monitoring

▪ Malta registered zero minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2023, thus achieving the local target value of 0.01. Delays in Malta remained unchanged year-on-year.

▪ The average number of IFR movements was 3% above 2019 levels in Malta in 2023.

▪ The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to increase by 26% by 2024, with the actual value being below the 2023 plan in Malta by 6 FTEs.

▪ The yearly total of sector opening hours in Malta ACC was 8,760, showing a 0% change compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 28.4% below 2019 levels.

▪ Malta ACC registered 15.45 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 46.3% above 2019 levels.

▪ Malta registered an average airport arrival ATFM delay of zero minutes per flight in 2023, achieving the local target of 0.01 minutes.

▪ Compared to 2022, the number of IFR arrivals in Malta increased by 22%, while the average airport arrival ATFM delay remained zero minutes.

▪ The main reason for delays was other, non-ATC related causes, accounting for 100% of delays.

En route performance

En route ATFM delay (KPI#1)

Summary of capacity performance

Malta experienced an increase in traffic from 101k flights in 2022, with zero en route ATFM delay, to 132k flights in 2023, also with zero en route ATFM delay. For reference, in 2019, Malta had 130k flights with negligible en route ATFM delays.

NSA’s assessment of capacity performance

While numbers are rebounding, the charging zones retain significan excess capacity availability.

Monitoring process for capacity performance

NSA monitors ATFM delays via NM dashboard and regular inspections. Actual values represent expected capacity targets.

NSA continues to monitor the recruitment progress by the ANSP

Capacity planning

No capacity issues identified for LM ENR airspace, and Target set is the lowest allowable under the regulation.

Application of Corrective Measures for Capacity (if applicable)

In addition to the 4 ATCOs added during 2023, an additional 4 FTE ATCOs will be employed during 2024. NSA continues to monitor the recruitment progress by the ANSP

En route Capacity Incentive Scheme

Malta Air Traffic Services Ltd.: 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)

The scope of RP3 monitoring for Malta comprises the main airport (LMML), where traffic level in 2023, after a 22% increase with respect to 2022, was completely recovered and in fact 1% higher than in 2019.
In accordance with IR (EU) 2019/317 and the traffic volume, pre-departure delays are not monitored at Malta and the capacity performance monitoring focuses on arrival ATFM delay and slot adherence.

Average arrival ATFM delays in 2023 was 0 min/arr (same as in 2022) and ATFM slot adherence remains high (2023: 96.4%; 2022: 96.6%).

No arrival ATFM delay was observed at Malta-Luqa (LMML) in 2023.

Malta’s performance plan sets a national target on arrival ATFM delay for 2023 of 0.01 min/arr. This target was met with an actual performance of 0.00 min/arr. According to the Performance Plan however, the pivot values are 0.02. The modulation is not clarified and Malta’s monitoring report claims a bonus of € 60 687.

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 2020 2021 2022 2023 2020 2021 2022 2023 2020 2021 2022 2023
Malta/Luqa NA 0.01 NA 0.00 97.1% 96.6% 96.6% 96.4% 0.04 0.01 0.21 1.06 7.0 7.9 14.4 22.4

ATFM slot adherence

Malta’s ATFM slot compliance was 96.4%. With regard to the 3.6% of flights that did not adhere, 1.5% was early and 2.1% was late.
According to Malta’s monitoring report: The performance has deteriorated slightly due to the huge increase in traffic and major ongoing works on the aerodrome which
during busy periods resulted in slight extended taxi times.

ATC pre-departure delay

This indicator is not monitored for airports below 80 000 IFR movements annual average during the 2016-2018 period, so it is not monitored for any airport in Malta.

All causes pre-departure delay

This indicator is not monitored for airports below 80 000 IFR movements annual average during the 2016-2018 period, so it is not monitored for any airport in Malta.