Summer Travel Chaos: Europe’s Ongoing Flight Delays and Cancellations Explained
Thursday, July 25th, 2024
On 19th July 2024, a significant IT malfunction caused widespread disruptions at airports and airlines globally. Although most systems have since been restored, airports across Europe continue to grapple with flight delays and cancellations, at a time when millions of people are setting off on their summer holidays.
Unravelling the causes of continued disruptions
Several airlines have identified staff shortages at European Air Traffic Control Centres as the root cause of the ongoing issues. Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represents major carriers such as Ryanair, Lufthansa, IAG, and Air France-KLM, highlighted the severity of the situation. In a statement, A4E reported, “This summer, European airlines have been compelled to delay or cancel thousands of flights, impacting hundreds of thousands of passengers.”
Capacity constraints and insufficient staffing at air traffic control centres have been attributed to 53% of these delays. A4E is urging the European Commission to take “urgent action” to address these challenges.
Additional pressures on the system
However, air traffic control staffing issues are not the sole cause of disruptions. The closure of Russian airspace to European aircraft, climate change, and increasingly extreme weather conditions are exacerbating the problem. The International Air Transport Association noted that last year, 30% of delayed flights in Europe were due to adverse weather, a significant increase from 11% in 2012.
Eurocontrol’s insight on the situation
Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, is responsible for coordinating air traffic management within the EU. The agency described summer 2024 as “particularly challenging” due to a combination of strong traffic growth, network saturation, and adverse weather conditions.
Eurocontrol’s data paints a clear picture: air traffic has surged by 10% to 20% compared to 2019 in large parts of European airspace. June 2024 saw a 5.2% increase in daily flights compared to the previous year. Delays have skyrocketed, with an overall increase of 1.1 million minutes in June 2024 compared to June 2023. Weather-related delays had a major part to play in this figure.
Calls for long-term reform
Airlines for Europe has long advocated for significant air traffic reform through the Single European Sky initiative, launched two decades ago. This project aims to streamline air traffic across Europe, reducing dependence on national borders. However, resistance from some countries has hindered its progress.
While long-term solutions like the Single European Sky may eventually alleviate these issues, significant delays and cancellations are likely to persist throughout this summer. Therefore, if you are plannig to take to the skies over the next few weeks, it is crucial to check your flight status and to stay up-to-date with the latest information provided by your airline.
Featured image courtesy of Guilherme Rossi Pexels
