NAV Portugal's Point Merge System has reduced delays in the Lisbon Terminal Maneuvering Area by more than 30% since its implementation one year ago.
The system, which became fully operational in July 2024, has delivered a cumulative reduction of over 200,000 minutes of delay. The Point Merge System transformed approaches to Humberto Delgado Airport and the wider Lisbon airport system through a new air traffic sequencing model.
Initial results show an immediate impact, with delays in July 2024 dropping by 25% compared to July 2023. Similar or greater reductions have been recorded in nearly every subsequent month, with April 2025 achieving a 38% reduction.
Performance proved even more significant when examining delays directly attributable to air traffic control, including ATC capacity, aerodrome capacity and airspace management while excluding meteorological impacts. In this category, monthly reductions ranged from 40.5% in the first full month of operation to 91.6% in March 2025.
"The Point Merge System marked a qualitative leap in the way we manage Lisbon's airspace," said Pedro Ângelo, CEO of NAV Portugal. "The results show that it is possible to respond to growing demand with greater efficiency, predictability, and sustainability."
The system replaced traditional holding patterns with more direct, predictable, and efficient trajectories featuring continuous descent operations and optimized speeds. The new approach is based on convergence towards a single merge point, allowing for lateral and vertical separation of traffic flows while improving predictability, efficiency, and operational safety.
NAV Portugal has implemented continuous optimization in cooperation with airlines. Optimization Package 1, effective since May 15, 2025, introduced adjustments in altitudes, speeds and routes focusing on fuel efficiency and CO₂ emissions reduction.
Optimization Package 2, scheduled for October 2, 2025, will enhance airspace management by introducing new contingency holding areas and sector adjustments to increase resilience and flexibility of air traffic control operations.
NAV Portugal is also working with ANAC to assess a new northbound departure configuration to mitigate noise impact on local communities, following Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 58/2025. The goal is to find a technically viable solution that balances operational efficiency with environmental sustainability.
The Point Merge System represents the most extensive airspace restructuring ever carried out in Lisbon Terminal Maneuvering Area. The implementation demonstrates NAV Portugal's commitment to delivering more efficient, predictable, and sustainable air navigation services.
NAV Portugal manages air traffic within Portuguese-controlled airspace, divided into two Flight Information Regions. The Lisbon FIR covers 671,000 km² over mainland Portugal and the Madeira Archipelago, while the Santa Maria FIR spans 5.18 million km² over the North Atlantic Ocean, including the Azores Archipelago.
The organization employs around 1,000 qualified professionals ensuring aircraft safety 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through area control centers and control towers across Portuguese territory.