AUC vs. DUC
In 2025, the terminal AUC was -10.8% (or -15.37 €2022) lower than the planned DUC. This results from the combination of significantly higher than planned TNSUs (+5.9%) and significantly lower than planned terminal costs in real terms (-5.6%, or -0.4 M€2022).
Terminal service units
The difference between actual and planned TNSUs (+5.9%) falls outside the ±2% dead-band, but does not exceed the ±10% threshold foreseen in the traffic risk sharing mechanism. The resulting gain of additional terminal revenues is therefore shared between the ANSP and the airspace users (see the main ANSP regulatory result).
Terminal costs by entity
Actual real terminal costs are -5.6% (-0.4 M€2022) lower than planned. This is the result of lower costs for the main ANSP, MATS (-6.3%, or -0.3 M€2022), the NSA (-9.2%, or -0.04 M€2022) and the MET service provider (-3.9%, or -0.01 M€2022) and slightly higher costs for the other ANSP (Malta International Airport (MIA), +0.9%, or +0.01 M€2022).
Terminal costs for the main ANSP (MATS) at charging zone level
Based on the additional information to the terminal reporting tables, the significantly lower than planned terminal costs in real terms for MATS in 2025 (-6.3%, or -0.3 M€2022) result from:
Lower than planned staff costs (-2.6%), mainly due to actual retirements higher than planned and delays in the implementation of the 2025 recruitment plan.
Significantly lower than planned other operating costs (-39.7%), mainly due to lower than planned utilities and other essential service costs.
Significantly higher than planned depreciation (+29.0%), mainly due to higher than planned asset investments generating higher depreciation costs than forecasted.
Significantly lower than planned cost of capital (-40.3%), mainly due to lower than expected asset base in 2025.
Assessment of the actual performance in the charging zone reported by the NSA
The NSA of Malta provides the following overall assessment of the actual performance in 2025 at charging zone level:
“The 2025 terminal cost-efficiency outturn is favourable overall. Total actual costs for the Malta terminal charging zone were below the determined cost base. Actual terminal service units also exceeded forecast, which is relevant for the actual unit cost incurred by users and for the traffic-related adjustments under the charging scheme.”
Explanation of the differences between actual and determined costs at charging zone level reported by the NSA
The NSA provides the following explanation for the differences between actual and determined costs in the charging zone:
“For 2025, total actual terminal costs amounted to EUR 6.113 million compared with determined costs of EUR 6.905 million, i.e. EUR 0.792 million below plan. MATS actual terminal costs were EUR 0.348 million below determined costs, with lower staff and other operating costs offsetting higher depreciation and lower cost of capital. MIA costs were broadly in line with plan with a small net increase, while MET costs were slightly below determined costs. Actual terminal service units were 47.553 thousand compared with 44.901 thousand forecast (+5.9%).”
[It should be noted that some of the amounts indicated by the NSA in the analysis cited above differ from the amounts reported in the respective data tables in the same NSA Monitoring Report and in the submission of terminal reporting tables (both of which are aligned).]
Recommendations formulated by the NSA to the ANSP (MATS) to rectify the situation and actions taken by the ANSP
The NSA 2025 monitoring report indicates the following recommendations formulated by the NSA:
“The NSA recommends that MATS continues to monitor staff planning, cost allocation discipline and the timing of investments. In this respect the NSA recommends that MATS brings its investment pipeline back on schedule as per PP, ensures that recruitment of new ATCO meets the plans in the PP such that the planned expenditure is effected as proposed in the PP and does not show excessive ambition in the PP such that Airspace Users are overcharged.”
No information was provided by MATS in the NSA 2025 Monitoring Report.