AUC vs. DUC
In 2023, the en route AUC was -15.9% (or -9.36 €2017) lower than the planned DUC. This results from the combination of significantly higher than planned TSUs (+23.6%) and higher than planned en route costs in real terms (+4.0%, or +3.8 M€2017). It should be noted that actual inflation index in 2023 was +11.8 p.p. higher than planned.
En route service units
The difference between actual and planned TSUs (+23.6%) falls outside the ±10% threshold foreseen in the traffic risk sharing mechanism. The resulting gain of additional en route revenues is therefore shared between the ANSPs and the airspace users .
En route costs by entity
Actual real en route costs are +4.0% (+3.8 M€2017) higher than planned. This is the result of higher costs for the main ANSP, ENAIRE (+2.8%, or +2.0 M€2017), the other ANSP (EA), +7.4%, or +0.8 M€2017), the NSA/EUROCONTROL (+12.8%, or +0.9 M€2017) and the MET service provider (+1.3%, or +0.1 M€2017).
En route costs for the main ANSP at charging zone level
Higher than planned en route costs in real terms for ENAIRE in 2023 (+2.8%, or +2.0 M€2017) result from:
- Slightly higher staff costs (+0.6%), which reflects a combination of increases driven by changes in national laws on Public Employees salary and on Social Security Scheme National Law as well introduction of Special Active Reserve (through Law 26/2022 of 19 December), which, among others, solves the problem of forced retirement of ATCOs at the age of 65.
- Significantly higher other operating costs (+16.3%), primarily reflecting much higher than planned energy costs.
- Significantly higher depreciation costs (+5.5%),
- Significantly higher cost of capital (+7.0%), primarily reflecting the use of much higher average interest rate on debts to calculate WACC (3.3% vs 0.8% planned).