Annual Monitoring Report 2024 - France
Contextual information
National performance plan adopted following Commission Decision (EU) 2023/176 of 14 December 2022
List of ACCs 5
Bordeaux ACC
Brest ACC
Marseille ACC
Paris ACC
Reims ACC
No of airports in the scope of the performance plan
≥80’K 6
<80’K 52
Exchange rate (1 EUR=)
2017: 1 EUR
2024: 1 EUR
Share of Union-wide traffic (TSUs) 2024 17.3%
Share of Union-wide en route costs 2024 21.1%
Share en route / terminal costs 2024 85% / 15%
En route charging zone(s)
France
Terminal charging zone(s)
France Zone 1
France Zone 2
Main ANSP
• DSNA
Other ANSPs
–
MET Providers
• Météo France
Traffic (En route traffic zone)
▪ France recorded 3,443K actual IFR movements in 2024, +6.5% compared to 2023 (3,443K).
▪ Actual 2024 IFR movements were +2.0% above the plan (3,375K).
▪ Actual 2024 IFR movements are +2.1% above the actual 2019 level (3,372K).
▪ France recorded 22,735K actual service units in 2024, +7.8% compared to 2023 (21,088K).
▪ Actual 2024 service units were +1.2% above the plan (22,464K).
▪ Actual 2024 service units are +4.4% above the actual 2019 level (21,782K).
Safety (Main ANSP)
▪ DSNA did not achieve the RP3 targets for the EoSM, as the achieved maturity levels decreased in 2023. Despite some improvements recorded in 2024, DSNA did not achieve the target in three out of five Management Objectives.
▪ France recorded a decrease in the rate of runway incursions (RIs) and a significant increase in the rate of separation minima infringements (SMIs). DSNA should continue assessing occurrences and should mitigate risks according to their SMS, if necessary.
▪ France should ensure that the ANSP implements, in a timely and cost-efficient manner, the necessary additional measures such as enhanced processes, improved allocation of resources, targeted training, and systematic reviews. Without such actions, the achievement of the RP4 targets could be jeopardised.
Environment (Member State)
▪ France achieved a KEA performance of 3.29% compared to its target of 2.83% and did not contribute positively towards achieving the Union-wide target.
▪ The NSA states that 2024 performance was affected by high peak traffic levels during the summer and traffic volatility, capacity and staff issues and adverse weather.
▪ Both KEP and SCR improved in 2024. The NSA states that 50% of French airspace is now covered by FRA. Despite the KEA target being missed, KEA improved in 2024. Additionally, the improvement in SCR shows that France has enhanced the environmental efficiency of its airspace when accounting for impacts outside of its control.
▪ The share of CDO flights remained stable in 2024.
▪ Both additional taxi out time and additional time in terminal airspace remained stable in 2024 compared to 2023.
▪ Additional taxi out time data for Marseille airport has not been reported for 2024 despite being subject to monitoring as per the Regulation.
Capacity (Member State)
▪ France registered 1.40 minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2024, which has been adjusted to 1.39 during the post-ops adjustment process, thus not achieving the local target value of 0.25. Delays in France decreased by 0.74 minutes per flight year-on-year.
▪ The majority of delays accumulated between May and October, mainly due to the lack of ATC Capacity and Staffing and adverse weather conditions.
▪ The share of delayed flights with delays longer than 15 minutes in France decreased by 8 percentage points compared to 2023 and was lower than 2019 values.
▪ The average number of IFR movements was 3% above 2019 levels in France in 2024.
▪ The number of ATCOs in OPS is 228, being below the 2024 plan in Bordeaux by 21 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is 241, being below the 2024 plan in Brest by 14 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is 324, being over the 2024 plan in Marseille by 2 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is 245, being below the 2024 plan in Paris by 20 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is 213, being over the 2024 plan in Reims by 15 FTEs.
▪ The yearly total of sector opening hours in Brest ACC was 86,039, showing a 15.8% increase compared to 2023. Sector opening hours are 5.2% above 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Paris ACC was 81,768, showing a 10.3% increase compared to 2023. Sector opening hours are 20.6% below 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Marseille ACC was 111,644, showing a 1.1% increase compared to 2023. Sector opening hours are 10.9% above 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Bordeaux ACC was 74,248, showing a 6.1% decrease compared to 2023. Sector opening hours are 1.0% above 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Reims ACC was 66,641, showing a 5.9% increase compared to 2023. Sector opening hours are 3.1% below 2019 levels.
▪ Reims ACC registered 16.67 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2024, being 12.2% above 2019 levels. Paris ACC registered 14.05 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2024, being 18.1% above 2019 levels. Brest ACC registered 12.81 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2024, being 5.2% below 2019 levels. Marseille ACC registered 10.75 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2024, being 6.6% below 2019 levels. Bordeaux ACC registered 13.24 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2024, being 0.9% below 2019 levels.
▪ 2024 showed an improved situation compared to 2023. However, the fact that some ACCs generate delays due to ATC capacity and staffing while having more ATCOs in OPS FTEs than planned indicates that capacity planning processes and the allocation of ATCO resources may have to be improved. Actual 2025 values up to August show a major deterioration of capacity performance.
▪ France registered an average airport arrival ATFM delay of 0.63 minutes per flight in 2024, thus not achieving the local target of 0.40 minutes.
▪ Compared to 2023, average arrival ATFM delays in France were 10% lower in 2024, while the number of IFR arrivals increased by 2%.
▪ The main drivers of delays were ATC staffing, accounting for 31% of delays, and weather, responsible for 28%.
Cost-efficiency (En route/Terminal charging zone(s))
▪ The en route 2024 actual unit cost of France was 56.98€2017, -2.7% lower than the determined unit cost (58.56€2017). The terminal zone 1 2024 actual unit cost was 88.82€2017, -9.2% lower than the determined unit cost (97.81€2017), while the terminal zone 2 2024 actual unit cost was 350.46€2017, +9.7% higher than the determined unit cost (319.52€2017).
▪ The en route 2024 actual service units (22.7M) were +1.2% higher than the determined service units (22.5M).
▪ The en route 2024 actual total costs were -20M€2017 (-1.5%) lower than determined. The lower costs are mainly driven by staff costs for DSNA (-18M€2017, or -2.6%). However, in nominal terms, the actual staff costs show an increase of +8.3% compared to the determined figures. The NSA explains that this increase is mainly due to salary indexations and some additional bonuses, as well as to the implementation of a new social agreement.
▪ DSNA costs of investment were 247M€2017 in 2024 for both en route and terminal charging zones, -1.2% less than determined (250M€2017).
▪ The en route actual unit cost incurred by users in 2024 was 66.99€ (+6.9% above the 2024 DUC), while the terminal actual unit cost incurred by users was 175.77€ (+69% above the 2024 DUC) for the terminal zone 1, and 208.90€ (-39% below the 2024 DUC) for the terminal zone 2. The difference between the AUCU and the DUC in terminal charging zones is primarily attributed to the cross-financing adjustment that transferred 45M€ between terminal zones.