NR23 Business Plan

Introduction

Alistair Borthwick / Chief Financial Officer

Our NR23 business plan sets out how we will continue to provide good service quality to our customers across a range of traffic levels at a cost-effective price so that we are not a brake on recovery. We have listened carefully to feedback we received from our customers, responded to requests for change and taken direction on the options we presented.

Alongside the plan we have published a number of appendices, containing extensive additional data and other information to support our proposals. 

Introduction video

Latest update

We are reviewing the CAA’s Final Decision regarding the five-year NR23 regulatory period, which confirms the pricing which has already been in place with our customers since 1 January 2023. Details of the announcement, which was published in October, can be accessed on the CAA website on the NATS License page.

Key outcomes for NR23

£2-£3
underlying cost
per passenger
2.5m
average flights per year
0
NERL attributable Cat A/B airprox
< 10.8
seconds NERL attributable
delay per flight
1m
tonnes CO2 on target
reduction (4.4%) by 2035
570m
investment in NR23

The highlights

  • A safe and efficient air traffic system: Supporting flights that exceed 2019 levels in 2027 by up to 15% at an efficient service performance level
  • Supporting the industry’s recovery: Underlying unit cost similar to 2019 at around £52 (2020 prices) and the deferral of 2020-22 revenue shortfalls recovery and profiling prices
  • Meeting net zero ambitions: Enhanced environmental and fuel benefits, consistent with industry targets to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, and increased societal expectations on aviation
  • Advancing airspace modernisation: To improve environmental performance and accommodate future traffic growth, supported by our technology transformation programme
  • Operational resilience: Develop and train the next generation of air traffic controllers to mitigate expected retirements, safely meet projected demand and provide further operational resilience
  • Appropriate financial resilience: Protection against a slower recovery or future traffic/economic shocks, essential for maintaining critical national infrastructure

Metrics & targets

Area Metric Target
Traffic UK flights (base case) 2.4m to 2.6m pa (-6% to +2% vs 2019)
Chargeable Service Units (base case) 11.6m to 12.7m pa (-7% to +2% vs 2019)
Safety Range of European and UK based metrics Maintaining or improving safety performance vs 2019
Service quality C1: all causes delay 14.7 – 15.3 seconds per flight
C2: NERL related delay 10.2 – 10.8 seconds per flight
C3: weighted score 20 – 22 seconds per flight
C4: variability of daily average delays 1800 score
Technical resilience Compliance with Licence Condition 2
Environment 3Di flight efficiency 27.6 – 28.0 pa score
Contribution to net zero On target for 4.4pp reduction by 2035
Investment Total NR23 capital investment £574m (2020 CPI prices)
Financials Total operating costs £433m pa average (1% lower vs 2019)
Total determined costs £670m pa average (1% higher vs 2019)
Underlying en route DUC £52 pa average (2% higher vs 2019)

Plan & appendices

Related reports

Provided below are a series of other key reports you might find interesting:

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