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  1. Capacity
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  • Capacity
    • PRB monitoring
    • En route performance
      • En route ATFM delay
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    • Terminal performance
      • Arrival ATFM delay
      • Other performance indicators

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Capacity - Belgium

Download Report

PRB monitoring

▪ Belgium registered 0.08 minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2024, which remained 0.08 after the post-ops adjustment process, thus achieving the local target value of 0.17. Delays in Belgium decreased by 0.01 minutes per flight year-on-year.

▪ The majority of delays accumulated in October, mostly due to other, non-ATC delays reasons and adverse weather conditions.

▪ The share of delayed flights with delays longer than 15 minutes in Belgium decreased by 6 percentage points compared to 2023 and was lower than 2019 values.

▪ The average number of IFR movements was 9% below 2019 levels in Belgium in 2024.

▪ The number of ATCOs in OPS is 92, being over the 2024 plan in Brussels by 1 FTE.

▪ The yearly total of sector opening hours in Brussels ACC was 28,637, showing a 0.4% increase compared to 2023. Sector opening hours are 1.7% below 2019 levels.

▪ Brussels ACC registered 20.27 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2024, being 7.0% below 2019 levels.

En route performance

En route ATFM delay (KPI#1)

Focus on en route ATFM delay

Summary of capacity performance

Belgium & Luxembourg did not achieve the required en route capacity performance for 2024. There were 1 244k flights handled in the airspace of Belgium & Luxembourg (both Brussels ACC and the Brussels sectors in MUAC) with 238k minutes of en route ATFM delay. In 2023 there were 1 174k flights with 206k minutes of en route ATFM delay.

NSA’s assessment of capacity performance

En route capacity target was not achieved.

Monitoring process for capacity performance

For skeyes, capacity monitoring is executed via the process as described in the manual of the NSA. Relevant data are collected from skyes, FABEC and other entities (Eurocontrol dashboard). If delays occur, a justification can be requested from skeyes, with potential corrective action request afterwards.

MUAC reports its en-route capacity performance to the states through the MUAC Finance and Performance committee. The performance data is also monitored on a monthly basis through the FAO/PMG (FABEC ANSP Office / Performance Management Group) capacity report. This report is based on MUAC data and available PRU data, which is consolidated and analysed and the results compared to the reference and indicative values. Even though the FABEC states now have national performance plans, the monitoring for en-route capacity performance is carried out under the auspices of the FABEC Financial and Performance Committee (FPC), counterpart of the European Commission at the States side, consulting and reporting to FABEC Council as appropriate.

On a monthly basis and through the FAO/PMG /FABEC ANSP OFFICE/ Performance Management Group) the ANSPs collectively submit a report to the FPC, based on PRU available data, consolidated and analysed, on their joint progress in achieving the FABEC target set and reference or indicative values and on the results and analysis of the en- route capacity achievement.

In case the target set and/or the annual/reference values are threatened not to be met, FAO/PMG is asked to propose to FPC possible corrective measures which the ANSPs determine fit to react to the weaker performance at FAB, national and/or ACC level, in order to remedy the situation.

The FPC analyses the reports, assesses the actions considered by the ANSPs together with the necessity of appropriate measures to be taken by the States or the NSAs and makes an advice to the proposals, made by the FAO/PMG, to the FABEC Council for such appropriate measures, after consultation with the FAO/PMG. The potential corrective measures take into account the seriousness of the risk of not meeting the targets set and/or the annual/reference values.

This monitoring process is described in the FABEC FPC States Performance Process description, which is regularly updated.

Capacity planning

A weekly Rolling NOP, published every Friday has been introduced through which NM coordinates with all partners to ensure capacity is available at ACCs and in the airspace they manage, and on the ground at airports, to meet the expected traffic demand from the airlines on each day of the next six weeks enabling to coordinate all operational stakeholders throughout the pandemic to ensure that network actors can plan their recovery effectively based on predicted traffic levels.

Application of Corrective Measures for Capacity (if applicable)

No corrective measures listed.

En route Capacity Incentive Scheme

Skeyes: The incentive scheme is based only on delays attributed to C,R,S,T,M & P delay codes. The skeyes target was set at 0.1 minutes per flight and the actual performance is reported as 0.06 minutes per flight (CRSTMP only). This results in a reported bonus of €389 711.
MUAC: The incentive scheme is based only on delays attributed to C,R,S,T,M & P delay codes. The MUAC target was set at 0.086 minutes per flight and the actual performance is reported as 0.11 minutes per flight (CRSTMP only). This falls within the deadband resulting in neither bonus nor malus.

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. No incentive scheme was applicable for Belgium in 2023 since the performance plan was only adopted in the same year.

Other indicators

Focus on ATCOs in operations

Brussels ACC: 2023 has been corrected from 82 FTE ATCO to 87.

Terminal performance

Arrival ATFM delay (KPI#2)

Focus on arrival ATFM delay

Belgium identifies only Brussels airport as subject to RP3 monitoring. The Airport Operator Data Flow is fully established and the monitoring of pre-departure delays can be performed. The data quality of the pre-departure delay reporting, which did not allow the calculation of the ATC pre-departure delay in 2020 and 2021, improved allowing the calculation of this indicator in 2022-2024. Traffic levels in 2024 were still 15% lower than in 2019 at Brussels airport, but 3% higher than in 2023.

Average arrival ATFM delay in 2024 was 0.28 min/arr, compared to 0.43 min/arr in 2023. The national target was met. ATFM slot adherence is very stable and above 95% (2023: 95.6%; 2024: 95.5%).

ATFM arrival delays at Brussels decreased in 2024 (EBBR; 2019: 0.90 min/arr; 2020: 0.38 min/arr; 2021: 0.04 min/arr; 2022: 0.11 min/arr; 2023: 0.43 min/arr; 2024: 0.28 min/arr). Most of these delays were attributed to Weather (64%) followed by Aerodrome Capacity (27%).

The incentive scheme uses modulated pivot values limited CRSTMP delay causes. This pivot value for CRSTMP is 0.12 min/arr in 2024. Following the attribution of the regulation reason, the actual CRSTMP value for 2024 is 0.025 min/arr. According to the Belgian monitoring report, this performance corresponds to the maximum bonus (0.125%), computed by the NSA as EUR53665.09.

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
Brussels 0.38 0.04 0.11 0.43 0.28 97.4% 96.6% 95.5% 95.6% 95.5% 0.35 0.45 0.57 0.64 0.66 13.9 15.3 20.6 19.3 19.1
Focus on performance indicators at airport level

ATFM slot adherence

Brussels ATFM slot compliance in 2024 was 95.5%. With regard to the 4.5% of flights that did not adhere, 3.2% were early and 1.3% were late.

The Belgian monitoring report highlights that national level and main national individual airports involved are above the 80% threshold of compliance.

ATC pre-departure delay

ATC pre-departure delay at Brussels slightly increased in 2024 (EBBR: 2022: 0.57 min/dep; 2023: 0.63 min/dep; 2024: 0.65 min/dep but it is still below the pre-pandemic value (0.78 min/dep).

The Belgian monitoring report mentions that the pre-departure delays in 2024 were stable compared to previous years.

All causes pre-departure delay

The total (all causes) delay in the actual off block time at Brussels slightly decreased in 2024 (EBBR: 2020: 13.88 min/dep.; 2021: 15.29 min/dep.; 2022: 20.59 min/dep.; 2023: 19.3 min/dep.; 2024: 19.07 min/dep) and sits slightly above the SES average of 18.77 min/dep.

According to the Belgian monitoring report: Skeyes focusses its effort on the reduction of ATFM delays which are directly under the control of ANSP. All cause departure delay is very generic and ATFM delay is only a small contributor. Departure delay can be generated by ATFM en-route delay (not only local airport, but the complete Network) but also reactionary and turnaround delay, technical issues with the aircraft, airport operations, problems with passengers and or luggage, etc. In other words, it is not always possible to address a specific reason as this delay is quite generic.

 
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