Capacity - Romania
PRB monitoring
Romania registered 0.06 minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2025, which has been adjusted to 0.04 during the post-ops adjustment process, thus achieving the local target value of 0.24. Delays in Romania decreased by -0.09 minutes per flight year-on-year.
The number of ATCOs in OPS in Bucharest ACC was 261 FTEs, -2 FTEs below the 2025 plan.
The yearly total of sector opening hours in Bucharest ACC was 65,601, showing a -5% decrease compared to 2024.
Bucharest ACC registered 13.57 IFR movements per sector opening hour in 2025, which is 16% above the recorded level in 2024.
Romania registered an average airport arrival ATFM delay of 0.17 minutes per flight in 2025, thus achieving the local target of 0.4 minutes. Compared to 2024, average arrival ATFM delays in Romania were 0.05 minutes per flight higher in 2025.
The main driver of delays was other non-ATC causes, accounting for 0.17 of the total delays.
En route performance
En route ATFM delay (KPI#1)
NoteFocus on en route ATFM delay
En route ATFM delay
Romania had 898k flights in 2025, up from 820k flights in 2024.
ROMATSA applied en route ATFM regulations resulting in 53k minutes of delay, a reduction from the 119k minutes in 2024.
As part of the strategic traffic re-orientation programme (S25/NTDM) operated by the Network Manager, 14k minutes of delay originating in Romania were re-attributed to other ANSPs.
Under the auspices of the Route Network (RN) Scenarios during Capacity & Weather Based Operations between June and September 2025, an additional 2k minutes of en route ATFM delay were re-attributed to ROMATSA – with <1k minutes of delay originating in Romania, being re-attributed to other ANSPs.
When the above post-operations re-attributions are factored in, the total en route delay for ROMATSA in 2025 was 40k minutes in 2025 down from 105k minutes in 2024.
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: “Bucharest ACC operated throughout 2025 under continuously optimised sector opening schemes, adapted in real time to traffic demand variations. The sector configuration was managed to ensure that the available capacity matched demand at all times, including during periods of elevated traffic complexity generated by the structural rerouting effects of the war in Ukraine and the temporary traffic disruption caused by the Iran-Israel conflict of June 2025.
The sector opening scheme was coordinated with the Network Manager through the NOP Rolling Seasonal Plan process, with ROMATSA providing regular capacity availability inputs covering planned and maximum sector openings, staffing availability, and special events. No capacity reductions were applied during 2025.
The en-route ATFM delay target for 2025 (0.24 min/flight) was met with a significant positive margin, with an actual value of 0.06 min/flight, representing a difference of -0.18 min/flight relative to the planned target.
From the total of 52,837 ATFM delay minutes incurred in 2025, 100% were attributed to weather-related reasons. Delay due to all other causes, including ATC capacity and staffing, was zero, confirming that no capacity gap existed in ROMATSA's en-route operations during 2025.”
En route capacity incentive scheme
The Romanian NSA reports a financial bonus for the ANSP of RON 10,747,134 for en route capacity performance in 2025. A local incentive target was set at 0.24 min/flight, for all causes of delay, and the NSA reports that an actual value of 0.06 mins/flight was achieved.
En route performance indicators at ACC level (PI#4-5)
NoteFocus en route performance indicators at ACC level
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: “The value recorded for LRBB ACC in 2025 is 61.4%, meaning that 61.4% of the total en-route ATFM delay minutes occurred on days when actual daily throughput exceeded the expected daily traffic volume. This indicator is significant in that it demonstrates that the delays incurred at Bucharest ACC were not systematically associated with capacity shortfalls relative to demand — the majority of delay occurred on high-traffic days where the ACC was effectively handling above-plan traffic volumes. This is consistent with the finding that 100% of en-route ATFM delay in 2025 was weather-attributed: adverse weather conditions generated ATFM delay precisely during high-demand days when airspace capacity could not be fully utilised due to meteorological restrictions, rather than reflecting an inherent ATC capacity gap.”
Annual weighted average of the daily peak throughput
As background information on actual performance, the NSA reports: “The annual weighted average of the daily peak throughput at LRBB ACC in 2025 was 156.7 flights. The declared hourly baseline capacity of Bucharest ACC increased from 175 aircraft/hour in 2024 to 190 aircraft/hour in 2025, representing an improvement of +9% year-on-year. The 2025 declared capacity exceeded the actual hourly peak demand of 161 aircraft/hour by 18%, confirming that Bucharest ACC maintained a capacity buffer above actual traffic demand throughout the year. This margin was deliberately maintained to ensure operational resilience during a period of heightened volatility generated by the geopolitical situation in the region, including the structural rerouting effects of the war in Ukraine and the temporary disruption caused by the Iran-Israel conflict of June 2025.
The capacity improvement was supported by the following operational actions implemented during 2025:
- re-design of Temporary Reserved Areas (TRAs), implemented on 17 April 2025, releasing additional airspace volumes for civil traffic and improving the effective capacity of Bucharest ACC sectors;
- improved ATFCM coordination, including the use of occupancy counts, Letters of Agreement (LoAs) and ATS Instructions, with regular review of Bucharest ACC sector configurations;
- increase in operational staffing in line with capacity requirements, consistent with the ATCO planning trajectory described in section 2.3.3;
- evolutive/adaptive ATM system software upgrade implemented prior to the 2025 summer season.”
NoteFocus on 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 in OPS are broadly in line with the assumptions of the Performance Plan. The marginal shortfall relative to plan does not reflect a structural recruitment or retention issue, but rather the inherent variability in the duration of the initial training, qualification and authorisation process for new ATCOs, which can extend beyond initially projected timelines depending on individual progression. ROMATSA considers the overall trajectory to be on track with the RP4 staffing plan. The significant efforts put by ROMATSA during 2025 to implement the FF-ICE and RoMAIRTCM, validate solutions in the S3JU projects for ATC TBO, Network TBO, MITRANO and SPATIO, as well as continue the training program for new ATCOs has generated an increase for the average number of ATCOs on other duties.”
“At the end of 2025, the number of ATCOs in OPS at Bucharest ACC stood at 261 FTEs, compared to a PP RP4 planned year-end value of 263 FTEs. During 2025, 10 ATCOs entered operational duties at the ACC, while 1 ATCO left the OPS room due to retirement, resulting in a net increase of 9 ATCOs over the year.
The year-end figure of 261 is marginally below the planned value of 263, which is partly attributable to the starting position at end-2024 being 252 FTEs rather than the 254 FTEs assumed in the Performance Plan at the time of submission. The shortfall relative to plan does not reflect a structural recruitment or retention issue, but rather the inherent variability in the duration of the initial training, qualification and authorisation process for new ATCOs, which can extend beyond initially projected timelines depending on individual progression. ROMATSA considers the overall trajectory to be on track with the RP4 staffing plan.”
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: “ROMATSA recruits new ATCO's using the FEAST selection tool. The ab-initio students go through the basic and rating training carried out by ROMATSA Training Organization after wich they start the Unit Training Plan according to the units they opted for. The recruits are allocated in order of their results in the FEAST test and according with the unit neceseties. The average failure rate is about 2-3 recruits for every 20 selected.
Trainees entering the training program: 59 ab-initio CTA trainees commenced training in November 2025, against a planned figure of 61. The marginal shortfall is attributable to the sourcing of a proportion of candidates through internal competition processes rather than exclusively through external recruitment, which resulted in a slightly smaller cohort entering the ab-initio programme. The overall recruitment trajectory remains on track with the RP4 staffing plan.
Trainees completing the training program: 47 trainee ATCOs completed their Unit Training Plans (UTPs) during 2025 (31 TWR/APP and 16 ACC), against a planned figure of 59. The difference reflects the inherent variability in the duration of the individual training and qualification process at Bucharest ACC, where the complexity and volume of the training syllabus — including simulator exercises and on-the-job training (OJT) phases — means that individual progression timelines can extend beyond initially projected estimates. This does not represent a structural issue; ROMATSA considers the overall training pipeline to be on track with RP4 staffing requirements.
Trainees at year-end: The year-end figure of 98 trainees is substantially above the planned figure of 57. This difference is explained by the fact that the planned figure in the Performance Plan did not fully account for the trainees who were in advanced OJT phases and were therefore already contributing to the training pipeline but had not yet completed full qualification. ROMATSA acknowledges that the planning assumptions used at the time of PP submission in 2024 did not capture this group, and will incorporate a more comprehensive baseline in future planning cycles.”
Terminal performance
Arrival ATFM delay (KPI#2)
NoteFocus on arrival ATFM delay
Arrival ATFM delay
Average ATFM arrival delay in Romania was 0.17 min/arr in 2025, the first year of RP4. The performance is very close to 2024, last year of RP3, when there were 0.12 min/arr.
However, it should be noted that in RP4 there are nine more airports included in Romania’s report. Focusing on Bucharest Otopeni, the main airport, ATFM arrival delay went from 0.13 min/arr in 2024 to 0.29 min/arr in 2025 but still remained below Performance Plan individual airport target. All other airports had no ATFM arrival delay in 2025.
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: “The terminal ATFM arrival delay target for 2025 was met at national level, with an actual value of 0.16 min/flight against a PP RP4 target of 0.40 min/flight (difference: -0.24 min/flight). At airport level, terminal ATFM delay was recorded exclusively at LROP (Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport), with an actual value of 0.29 min/flight against a PP RP4 target of 0.43 min/flight. All other airports included in the Performance Plan recorded zero terminal ATFM delay in 2025.
The total of 18,198 terminal ATFM delay minutes at LROP in 2025 is broken down as follows:
16,907 minutes (92.9%) — Aerodrome Capacity (code C): recorded primarily during July and August 2025, corresponding to the summer traffic peak. The delays reflect the capacity constraints of the aerodrome infrastructure at LROP during periods of maximum traffic demand, exacerbated by the concentration of operations typical of the summer schedule. These constraints are attributable to aerodrome infrastructure factors outside ROMATSA's direct control.
1,288 minutes (7.1%) — Other (code O): recorded in August 2025, generated by airspace restrictions imposed for the BIAS (Bucharest International Air Show) airshow event. These restrictions are by nature temporary and non-recurring on an annual basis.
The 2025 outturn demonstrates that the planning assumptions underpinning the RP4 targets were prudent and grounded in operational reality.”
Terminal capacity incentive scheme
In the first year of RP4, with an ATFM arrival delay of 0.17 min/arr, Romania achieved the national target of 0.40 min/arr.
The Performance Plan provides the possibility of adjusting the pivot value for incentives based on traffic changes, however, this was not applied in 2025, and the pivot value is also 0.40 min/arr. Due to this, the KPI is beyond the end of the bonus sliding range for the incentive scheme, meaning that the maximum bonus of 0.75% applies. As such, the NSA computes a bonus of RON 1,934,160.61.
Note that the State reported an ATFM arrival delay of 0.16 min/arr, 0.01 less than what PRB estimates. Nevertheless, such difference does not impact the resulting bonus within the incentive scheme.
| Airport level | ||||||||||
| Airport name |
Avg arrival
ATFM delay (KPI#2)
|
Slot adherence (PI#1)
|
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | |
| Bucuresti Baneasa Aurel Vlaicu | 0.00 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 99.4% | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Bucuresti Henri Coanda | 0.29 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 99.5% | 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 | |
| Bucuresti Henri Coanda | 0.66 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 19.75 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
NoteFocus on other terminal performance indicators
ATFM slot adherence
ATFM slot adherence in 2025 was equal to 99.2%, very close to 2024 value – last year of RP3 – of 99.6%. This is the highest among all RP4 states.
The main airport, Bucharest Otopeni, achieved 99.5% adherence and all individual airports achieved >97.5% adherence.
With regard to the 0.8% of flights that did not adhere, 0.6% were early and 0.2% were late.
The average for RP4 airports subject to monitoring of ATFM slot adherence across Member States in 2025 was 96.1%.
As background information on actual performance, the NSA reports: “The national adherence to ATFM slots rate in 2025 was 99.24%, reflecting a very high level of compliance with Network Manager slot allocations across Romanian airports. All airports recorded values above 97.6%, with LROP Bucharest Otopeni at 99.5% and most regional airports around or above 99%. The comparatively lower values at LRCL Cluj, 97.68%, and LRCK Constanța, 97.81%, remain within acceptable operational parameters and do not indicate a systemic performance issue.
This performance was supported by established ATFM coordination procedures between ROMATSA operational units, airport operators and aircraft operators, including timely exchange of flight planning, delay and slot-related information. Compliance with ATFM procedures under Commission Regulation (EU) No 255/2010 and local coordination between TWR/APP units and airport stakeholders contributed to maintaining predictable departures and reducing avoidable CTOT non-compliance.
Minor airport-level variations may be linked to local operational factors such as traffic peaks, adverse weather, infrastructure constraints, apron/stand availability, ground handling performance, late aircraft readiness or temporary works. No significant deterioration requiring corrective action was identified at national level in 2025.”
ATC pre-departure delay
Bucharest Otopeni is the only Romanian airport subject to the monitoring of this indicator. Delay in 2025 increased to 0.66 min/dep, 38% above 2024 value – last year of RP3 – of 0.48 min/dep.
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: “The ATC pre-departure delay at LROP in 2025 was 0.66 min/flight, indicating a low level of delay attributable to ATC-related causes in the departure phase. This confirms that ROMATSA TWR and APP operations at Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport did not represent a significant constraint for departure traffic in 2025. The main contributors to overall departure delay are considered to be predominantly non-ATC factors, such as airline turnaround processes, ground handling, apron/stand availability, airport infrastructure constraints, weather conditions and traffic peaks, as reflected in PI #3.
This performance was supported by established coordination between TWR Otopeni, Bucharest APP, the airport operator, aircraft operators and the Network Manager. Relevant measures include the application of ATFM procedures, tactical coordination of start-up and push-back clearances, the clearance delivery position, A-SMGCS support for surface situational awareness, and Advanced Tower Messaging / ATOP capabilities supporting improved departure planning and surface movement predictability.
No significant deterioration requiring corrective action was identified for PI #2 in 2025. Planned actions will focus on maintaining the current level of ATC performance, further refining departure management procedures, improving the operational use of ATOP taxi-time and departure planning information, and strengthening coordination during traffic peaks, adverse weather, low visibility operations or temporary infrastructure restrictions.”
All causes pre-departure delay
Bucharest Otopeni is the only Romanian airport subject to the monitoring of this indicator. Delay in 2025 decreased to 19.75 min/dep, 14% below 2024 value– last year of RP3 – of 22.85 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 average departure delay from all causes at LROP in 2025 was 19.75 min/flight. This indicator reflects the total departure delay, including airline-related causes, reactionary delay, turnaround processes, passenger and baggage handling, cargo, airport infrastructure constraints, adverse weather, traffic peaks and ATC-related delay.
The difference between PI #3, 19.75 min/flight, and PI #2, 0.66 min/flight ATC pre-departure delay, confirms that ATC-attributable delay represented only a limited share of the overall departure delay at LROP. Approximately 96.7% of the total average departure delay was generated by non-ATC causes, mainly airline operational processes, ground handling, aircraft readiness, apron/stand availability, airport infrastructure constraints, traffic peaks and seasonal demand, particularly during the summer period.
Measures supporting performance include the clearance delivery position, A-SMGCS at LROP TWR, Advanced Tower Messaging / ATOP capabilities, ATFM coordination procedures and common ROMATSA–Bucharest Airports National Company procedures for managing manoeuvring area works or temporary restrictions, including pre-established alternative taxi routes. These measures improve departure predictability, surface movement awareness and ATC–airport stakeholder coordination.
As PI #3 is mainly driven by non-ATC causes, further improvement requires coordinated action by the airport operator, aircraft operators, ground handlers and ATC, focusing on turnaround reliability, timely aircraft readiness, apron/stand management, traffic peak coordination and management of infrastructure constraints.”