The growing importance of benchmarking

Diána Rohácsné Galgóczi, Head of International Controlling Unit, HungaroControl and Chair of the CANSO Global Benchmarking Workgroup, on the growing importance of benchmarking.

During these unprecedented times, data is vital in helping us understand the performance of our industry, our strengths and weaknesses. It can tell a story of where we’ve come from and the direction this could take in the future. As we celebrate the tenth-anniversary edition of CANSO’s Global Air Navigation Services Performance Report and the excellent collaboration behind it, we must find ways to leverage this powerful insight and build the best possible future for our industry.

CANSO’s annual Global Air Navigation Services Performance Report uses key performance metrics to measure the cost-efficiency and productivity of air navigation service providers (ANSP) worldwide. The latest report – the tenth in the series – includes data from 57 ANSPs from 2014 to 2018, and indicates how ANSP performance has evolved over the past decade.

By comparing and contrasting data from across the globe, the report highlights that ANSPs have a strong record of productivity over the past decade, largely rooted in their ability over the years to handle growing traffic volumes without a corresponding increase in costs.

This is a significant achievement during what was until recently a period of exponential growth in air travel, and delivers a strong message to the industry. By working together to manage the ebbs and flows of traffic, and to monitor and analyse performance, we can make informed decisions and take the necessary steps to provide a seamless and cost-efficient service.

Aviation is unfortunately one of the industries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, thus its significant impact will be clearly visible in aviation trends going forwards. The drop in traffic levels this year will challenge ATM, as ANSPs do not have the ability to be elastic in their services with shrinking traffic levels.

For CANSO and the industry, monitoring this changing picture will be vital, and CANSO is already working on how to further develop insights in partnership with ANSPs around the globe, and continue to deliver valuable data.

For its part, HungaroControl has benefitted significantly from participating in the report for a number of years. It is a great tool to evaluate individual ANSP trends and to assess performance relative to others, based on regional or analytical comparison with similar operational and economic environments.

In the coming years, such peer-to-peer analysis of performance will be vital in understanding how different parts of the ATM network are evolving, and how we can best learn from each other and develop together. This is the key to a robust and resilient air transport community, and I encourage all ANSPs to take note of these key learnings and the insight CANSO has to offer in navigating the current crisis and recovery.

Data offers knowledge and guidance, and by adding to it and growing its scope, these benefits will only continue to increase. All ANSPs can participate in the Global Air Navigation Services Performance Report and I look forward to growing our dedicated community of contributors in CANSO’s Global Benchmarking Workgroup (GBWG), and this invaluable benchmarking initiative.

The Global Air Navigation Services Performance Report is available via the CANSO publications library. An interactive dashboard which allows users to make customised analysis of ANSP performance is also available to GBWG members. To find out more, get in touch via strategy@canso.org.