BUSINESS NEWS


Almost half (48%) of air traffic control delays last


year are attributed to staffing,


25% to bad weather and 22% to ‘system implementations’


Eurocontrol reveals full extent of flight delays


Air traffic body shows all of Europe was blighted last summer. Ian Taylor reports


Half the flights in Europe departed late last summer and one in three were delayed across the entire year, according to data released by European air traffic management body Eurocontrol. It reported 66% of flights departed


punctually over the year, down seven percentage points on 2019 due to “staff and capacity shortages”, but peak summer punctuality rates fell below 50%. Punctuality on arrival was close


to 72% for the year, reflecting the additional flight time airlines add to schedules. Yet the average arrival


56 12 JANUARY 2023


delay increased by one-third on 2019. Eurocontrol noted: “The situation


deteriorated markedly over the summer, with departure punctuality dipping below 50% at the beginning of July and between 50%-60% for most of the summer.” The summer “saw around 90%


of 2019 traffic but with less available airspace, resulting in higher-than- expected air traffic flow management [ATFM] delays”, reflecting the lag between take-off times requested by airlines and allocated take-off slots. Eurocontrol noted: “The closure


of Russian airspace meant a significant amount of longer rerouteings, while increased military usage of European airspace disrupted usual traffic flows.” It estimates 650 flights a day were


forced to take more southerly routes owing to the war in Ukraine. Eurocontrol added: “Almost half


of ATFM delays were triggered by staffing and capacity shortages at airlines, airports, ground handlers and immigration which brought


Continued on page 54 travelweekly.co.uk


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PICTURE: Shutterstock/Ceri Breeze


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