Airlines Clash Over Europe’s ATC Delays
Seville, Spain—At Routes Europe in Seville, industry leaders warned that summer 2025 could bring even greater challenges than the previous year as European air traffic control delays continue to disrupt travel. Airlines for Europe MD Ourania Georgoutsakou stressed that the upcoming summer must avoid mirroring the extensive delays recorded in 2024. Last summer, European airlines suffered 11 million minutes of peak-season delays between June and September due to restrictions in ATC capacity, unpredictable weather conditions, and the loss of 20% of Europe’s airspace following closures linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Georgoutsakou described the current system as outdated and fragmented, pointing out that both weather and capacity are predictable elements that can be managed more effectively with the right information. In an effort to address the issues, Airlines for Europe is collaborating with Eurocontrol and various European air navigation service providers to explore options for optimizing flight planning. The discussion centered on providing earlier data to allow for more efficient adjustments in airspace usage, potentially reducing the formation of queues and minimizing the jams that have plagued recent summers. The objective is to transform airspace management by adjusting routes and redistributing traffic, thereby easing the burden on an already overstressed system.
Despite these efforts, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary expressed deep skepticism about any forthcoming improvements. O’Leary recalled that the record ATC delays of 2024 could foreshadow an even more problematic summer in 2025. He revealed that major European ANSPs have openly acknowledged that they are understaffed, a situation he believes will only worsen the delays. O’Leary was particularly critical of the Single European Sky initiative, arguing that despite more than €20 billion in investments and a 50% increase in air traffic management fees over the past five years, the program has failed to make any significant progress. In his view, the initiative has been a complete waste of time, contributing little to resolving the longstanding issues within European airspace management.
Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith also weighed in, noting that the current system provides only limited consequences for ANSPs when delays occur. Smith reported that his airline faces a shortage of 20-25% in ATC staff at its hubs, a deficit that directly contributes to operational inefficiencies and delay accumulations. He argued that if ANSP providers were forced to bear the financial costs of these delays, there might be a stronger incentive to reform the system. Smith’s remarks underscored a growing sentiment among European carriers that without accountability, the status quo will continue to hamper timely departures and reliable scheduling.
O’Leary further urged the new European Commission, which assumed office on December 1, 2024, to include a right of recourse against ANSPs in its upcoming review of EU airline passenger rights rules. His call for reform reflects a broader industry demand for a more efficient and reliable air traffic management system that can better accommodate the growing number of travelers. As the debate over ATC delays and airspace modernization intensifies, the future of European aviation hinges on whether these longstanding challenges can finally be addressed.
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