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Langen, 11 July 2006 DFS: Success in changing times 7,400 additional flights during the FIFA World Cup The slogan of this year's Annual Press Briefing at DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung was "air navigation services in changing times". It did not specifically refer to the FIFA World Cup which posed major challenges for DFS. But they were easily handled. Approximately 7,400 additional flights had to be handled. DFS tackled these tasks without causing any delays or safety risks for their part. But these are not the major topics at DFS at the moment. What DFS is really concerned with are the Single European Sky (SES), capital privatisation, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and other developments. At a European level, the Single European Sky regulations will come into effect on 1 January 2007. Dieter Kaden, Chairman and CEO of DFS, commented that “the structures in the air navigation services in Europe, which have developed over decades, are being re-organised. National borders will no longer play a decisive role in European airspace. International cooperation and competition are the way forward”. DFS is well prepared for this new situation. In the project “FAB Central” (FAB – Functional Airspace Block), the governments of Germany and the Benelux countries are assessing ways in which the four countries could form a partnership or a joint airspace. The stage has also been set for the introduction of future system technology. Together with Spain and the United Kingdom, DFS decided to adopt the iTEC programme (interoperability Through European Coordination). An increasing number of partner organisations in Europe are also showing an interest in this system, which will open the door to the harmonisation of air traffic management systems in line with the SES initiative. The new German Air Navigation Services Act will also bring new challenges for DFS. Under this Act, a national supervisory authority – the Federal Supervisory Authority for Air Navigation Services – will be established, which meets the SES requirement to separate regulatory and operational functions. In terms of the planned capital privatisation, which will entail the Federal government selling 74.9% of its share in the company, potential investors are expected to be named in late autumn. In this context, Kaden reiterated that the privatisation would not jeopardise safety. “Even if the controllers’ association GdF may try to convince you otherwise, I can assure you that the German air navigation services will remain in the future what it has been up to now – a guarantee for safety in German airspace, and maybe even further afield.” Mr Kaden also referred to the financial deficit of €780 million as recently reported by the press. This was not the result of the poor performance of DFS or the Federal government, rather it was due to the switchover to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as prescribed by the European Union. Under IFRS, a lower interest rate is set for the return on capital employed. This rate is more realistic that the 6 per cent which has applied up to now. Furthermore, IFRS stipulates that payments into the pension fund be made at an earlier stage from the time an individual takes up employment. The practice to date has been to make the largest payments towards the end of the employee’s professional life. This explains why the air traffic control charges will have to be raised in 2007, probably by 13 per cent. After a new charges model has been defined as required by the capital privatisation process, it will be possible to set a more precise figure. In 2005, DFS achieved revenues of €881.7 million and a profit for the year of €18.2 million, despite having significantly lowered air traffic control charges. Net revenue from terminal charges and route charges amounted to €183.9 million and €668.5 million, respectively. Cash flow dropped to €135 million, mainly due to the lower profit for the year. Net debt dropped from €60.3 million to €6.4 million, while the equity ratio rose slightly from 16.7 per cent to 16.9 per cent. DFS controllers in the past year handled a record 2.9 million flights, 5.4 per cent more than in 2004. Just how dynamic this market is becomes more apparent in a ten-year comparison. In 1995, DFS controlled two million flights – only two thirds of today’s traffic volume. In addition, 2005 was the most punctual year in the history of DFS. Ninety-seven per cent of all flights handled by DFS controllers reached their destinations without any delays caused by air traffic control – a result that is hard to beat. And the number of aircraft proximities was also lower. Only three incidents were recorded in 2005 (compared to six in 2004), none of which were caused by air traffic control (2004: three caused by ATC). DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH is a State-owned company under private law and has 5,200 employees. DFS ensures the safe and punctual handling of flights. Staff coordinate around 10,000 aircraft movements in German airspace every day, and more than three million movements every year. With this large number of flights, Germany has the highest traffic volume in Europe. DFS operates control centres in Langen, Bremen, Karlsruhe and Munich. In addition, DFS is represented in the Eurocontrol Centre in Maastricht, the Netherlands, and in the control towers of the 16 international German airports. DFS provides training and consultancy services around the world and develops and sells air traffic control, surveillance and navigation systems. The company's portfolio also comprises flight-relevant data, aeronautical publications and aeronautical information services. DFS has the following business units: Control Centre, Tower, Aeronautical Solutions and Aeronautical Information Management.
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