Lessons Learnt from the 2016 LHC Run and Prospects for HL-LHC Availability

The LHC exhibited unprecedented availability during the 2016 proton run, producing about 40 fb-1 of integrated luminosity, surpassing the sum of production during the 4 previous years. This was achieved while running steadily with a peak luminosity above the design target of 1034 cm- 2s^{−1}. Individual system performance and an increased experience operating the LHC were fundamental for these achievements, following the consolidations and improvements deployed during the Long Shutdown 1 and the Year End Technical Stop in 2015. The implications of this excellent performance in the context of the High Luminosity LHC are discussed in this paper, with the goal of defining the possible integrated luminosity reach of HL-LHC when considering the different operating conditions and the newly developed systems and technologies.