EUROCONTROL Performance Review Commission issues its ATM Cost-Effectiveness Benchmarking Report for 2008

The report analyses the cost-effectiveness and productivity of 36 European Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and gives a system-wide view based on latest available information. It provides productivity comparisons for 64 Area Control Centres. Finally, it gives an independent assessment of the past and projected cost-effectiveness performance of European ANSPs. Total costs for the European Air Navigation system in 2008 were around €8 660M, of which 88% (€7 600M) related to the provision of ATM/CNS services. There were wide variations in ANSP cost-effectiveness performance, with unit costs ranging from € 153 to € 796. Real unit costs decreased by -7% between 2004 and 2008, thanks to efforts by ANSPs, MET providers and the EUROCONTROL Agency. The decline in unit costs is an encouraging trend. However the economic downturn resulted in a sharp decrease in air traffic and an increase of some 10% in average unit cost in 2009. The challenge in the coming years will be to quickly return to 2008 unit costs and below, while retaining the flexibility to serve increasing traffic when economic growth is restored. The SES II package is expected to play a significant role in this regard, said Xavier Fron, Head of the EUROCONTROL Performance Review Unit. The report is available here: www.eurocontrol.int/prc