Capacity - Ireland

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PRB monitoring

  • Ireland registered 0.01 minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2025, which remained 0.01 after the post-ops adjustment process, thus achieving the local target value of 0.03. Delays in Ireland increased by 0.01 minutes per flight year-on-year.

  • The share of delayed flights with delays longer than 15 minutes in Ireland increased by 10 percentage points compared to 2024 but was lower than 2019 values.

  • The actual number of ATCOs in OPS was 240 FTEs, -15 FTEs below the planned level (255 FTEs).

  • The yearly total of sector opening hours in Dublin ACC was 21,841, while in Shannon ACC these was 42,354. Both ACCs showed a -1% reduction compared to the sector opening hours in 2024

  • Dublin and Shannon ACC registered some 12 IFR movements per sector opening hour in 2025, 6% above the 2024 level.

  • Ireland registered an average airport arrival ATFM delay of 0.28 minutes per flight in 2025, thus not achieving the local target of 0.2 minutes. Compared to 2024, average arrival ATFM delays in Ireland were -0.04 minutes per flight lower in 2025.

  • The main drivers of delays were weather, accounting for 0.20 of the total delays, and other non-ATC causes, responsible for 0.08.

En route performance

En route ATFM delay (KPI#1)

En route ATFM delay

  • Ireland had 616k flights in 2025, up from the 587k flights in 2024.

  • AirNav Ireland applied en route ATFM regulations resulting in <7k minutes of delay.

Regarding the reasons and circumstances resulting in the achieved level of actual performance of the en route ATFM delay per flight KPI, the NSA reports: “Average en route ATFM delay per overflight was 0.01 minutes per flight, consistent with the target and broadly in line with previous years. A Eurocontrol CAPAN study is taking place during 2026 to examine operations at Dublin ACC and Shannon ACC. The IAA and AirNav Ireland meet regularly to discuss the peformance indicators, including ATFM delay.”

Regarding the description of the adjustments to the capacity plan included in adopted performance plan, the NSA reports: “The NSA has introduced an additional capacity incentive scheme which aims to incentivise the ANSP to meet its ATCO and ATSEP hiring targets.”

Regarding the identification and analysis by the NSA of the underlying reasons or circumstances having led to the performance target not being achieved, the NSA reports: “N/A.”

En route capacity incentive scheme

The en route capacity incentive scheme described in the Ireland performance plan does not foresee any possibility of a bonus. Therefore, even though AirNav Ireland surpassed the required level of en route capacity performance, no financial bonus is applicable.

En route performance indicators at ACC level (PI#4-5)

Percentage of total en route ATFM delay that occurred on days when the daily throughput was above the expected daily traffic

As background information on actual performance, the NSA reports: “It is anticpated that En-route ATFM Delay will be further reduced with the application of Occupancy Regulations rather than Entry Count Regulations in the En-Route environment.”

Annual weighted average of the daily peak throughput

No comment provided.

Other en route information

ATCOs in operations

As additional comments to ATCOs in the scope of the performance scheme, the NSA reports: “The number of ATCOs split by ACC, APP and TWR is the combined total across four service units (Dublin, SNN ENR, CTBU & STBU). The number of ATCOs in ops allocated to the en route cost base relates to Dublin (EIDW) and Shannon (EISN) only. The figures are the Average FTE ATCOs over 2025.”

Regarding the training process, including details on the effective failure rate and the process used to allocate newly qualified ATCOs between ACC, APP and TWR positions, the NSA reports: “The calculations are based on a 70% pass rate. Operational decisions as regards the allocation of ATCOs to the various control centres is a matter for AirNav Ireland, based on need. ATCOs are typically multi-rated and assigned to locations, rather than being limited to being assigned to ACC, APP, or TWR positions. In some cases, for example, ATCOs at the Dublin control centre are licensed for all three of ACC, APP, and TWR positions, which is intended to allow for the provision of flexible, scalable, and cost effective capacity.

The training process for ATCOs is partially outsourced to Entry Point North. In relation to licenced training such as unit endorsement training or continuation training, AirNav Ireland is contracted by EPN to provide this training service (unit endorsement training has to be completed by an ATCO rated in that unit). On the job training is provided by AirNav Ireland. Other aspects of the training process (e.g., initial assessments) are carried out by AirNav Ireland without any involvement of EPN.”

Terminal performance

Arrival ATFM delay (KPI#2)

Arrival ATFM delay

Average ATFM arrival delay in Ireland was 0.28 min/arr in 2025, the first year of RP4. The performance remains very close to 2024, last year of RP3, when there were 0.32 min/arr.

2025 delays took place mainly at Dublin airport (0.33 min/arr) as Cork (0.01 min/arr) and Shannon (0.00 min/arr) had very little to no delay.

The average for RP4 airports subject to monitoring of ATFM Arrival delay across Member States in 2025 was 0.97 min/arr.

Regarding the reasons and circumstances resulting in the achieved level of actual performance of the arrival ATFM delay per flight KPI, the NSA reports: “In 2025, average terminal delay at the relevant airports (Dublin, Shannon and Cork) was 0.28 minutes per arriving flight, considering RP4 CRSTMP Performance Targets subtracting the non-CRSTMP delay from the actual delay was 0.00 minutes per arriving flights.

Of the 42,442 minutes delay, the primary causes were 30,601 minutes due Weather, Aerodrome Capacity 10,709 minutes (the most significant cause due Runway Displaced threshold works).”

Regarding the identification and analysis by the NSA of the underlying reasons or circumstances having led to the performance target not being achieved, the NSA reports: “The IAA notes that ATFM delay minutes were primarily caused by weather and aerodrome related issues. Consistent with historic patterns, only a small proportion of ATFM arrival delay was directly ANSP attributable.”

Regarding recommendations to the ANSP to rectify the situation, the NSA reports: “Continue efforts to increase ATCO staffing levels at least in line with the Performance Plan forecasts, and review measures which might be possible to reduce the extent of weather related delay.”

Regarding remedial measures that have been / will be taken by the ANSP to rectify the situation, the NSA reports: “AirNav Ireland will continue its efforts to increase ATCO levels throughout the period of RP4. The capacity incentive scheme introduced by the IAA aims to incentives AirNav to meet the performance plan targets.”

Regarding follow up of the remedial measures indicated in the previous monitoring report(s), the NSA reports: “The IAA meets quarterly with AirNav Ireland to discuss progress with its hiring targets.”

Terminal capacity incentive scheme

In the first year of RP4, with an ATFM arrival delay of 0.28 min/arr, Ireland did not achieve the national target of 0.20 min/arr.

However, the pivot value for incentives (0.10 min/arr) is limited to CRSTMP delay causes. As there was no CRSTMP delay (0.00 min/arr), the maximum bonus applies, nevertheless the maximum bonus is 0% as per the Performance Plan. As such, the NSA computes a bonus of EUR 0.00.

Other terminal performance indicators (PI#1-3)

Airport level
Airport name
Avg arrival ATFM delay (KPI#2)
Slot adherence (PI#1)
2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
Cork 0.01 NA NA NA NA 97.9% NA NA NA NA
Dublin 0.33 NA NA NA NA 98.5% NA NA NA NA
Shannon 0.00 NA NA NA NA 97.0% NA NA NA NA
Airport name
ATC pre departure delay (PI#2)
All causes pre departure delay (PI#3)
2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
Dublin 0.86 NA NA NA NA 15.38 NA NA NA NA

ATFM slot adherence

ATFM slot adherence in 2025 was equal to 98.3%, very close to 2024 value – last year of RP3 – of 98.0%. With regard to the 1.7% of flights that did not adhere, 1.2% were early and 0.5% were late.

The average for RP4 airports subject to monitoring of ATFM slot adherence across Member States in 2025 was 96.3%.

As background information on actual performance, the NSA reports: “The ANSP monitors ATFM Slot adherence on an ongoing basis. The ANSP's performance on a national level shows a slight improvement on previous years which is largely driven by Dublin Airport. The performance at Cork and Shannon is slightly down on 2024.”

ATC pre-departure delay

Dublin is the only Irish airport subject to the monitoring of this indicator. The delay in 2025 was equal to 0.86 min/dep. This figure cannot be compared to RP3 values from 2024 as last year reporting quality was not good enough to compute this PI. Reporting quality improved as of November 2024, allowing for the calculation of 2025 values.

The average for RP4 airports subject to monitoring of ATC pre-departure delay across Member States and for which enough data is available in 2025 was 0.74 min/dep.

As background information on actual performance, the NSA reports: “There was no delay attributed to ATC Capacity or Staffing at Dublin Airport. However, there are 3 dominant eastbound departure flows, ENDEQ, BOFUM, DEXEN. The ANSP is in discussions with adjacent ANSP to have increased access via DEXEN/Y124 and the North Wales Military Training Area. Dublin departures are affected by Regulation mainly in LAKES Sector, and airports Amsterdam, Heathrow and Gatwick”

All causes pre-departure delay

Dublin is the only Irish airport subject to the monitoring of this indicator. The delay in 2025 decreased to 15.38 min/dep, 11% lower than the value of 2024 – last year of RP3 – of 17.32 min/dep.

The average for RP4 airports subject to monitoring of all causes pre-departure delay across Member States in 2025 was 16.47 min/dep.

As background information on actual performance, the NSA reports: “The PI continues to improve. 15.38 represents a reduction in delay minutes relative to 2024 (17.32).”