Ryanair demands urgent reform of European Air Traffic Control

Ryanair has called for immediate reforms in European Air Traffic Control (ATC) due to severe underperformance causing significant disruptions. The airline reported over 60 flight cancellations and delays affecting 150 first-wave departures on June 27th and 28th due to ATC “staff shortages” and “equipment failures” at the Maastricht centre.

Key Issues

• Staff Shortages and Equipment Failures: Despite no French ATC strikes and flight volumes being 5% lower than in 2019, European ATC services continue to suffer from staffing issues and equipment malfunctions.
• Impact on Operations: On June 27th, over 30% of Ryanair’s 3,500 flights experienced delays, with 16 aircraft missing their curfew landing times. On June 28th, 25% of the airline’s first wave departures were delayed.
• Rising ATC Fees: Ryanair’s Chief Ops Officer, Neal McMahon, highlighted that despite rising ATC fees over the past three years, service levels have declined.

Call to Action

• Ryanair urges Raul Medina, Director General of Eurocontrol, to address the staffing and equipment issues.
• The airline also calls on EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to implement urgent reforms to improve ATC services.

Ryanair apologises to its passengers for the disruptions, emphasising that the delays and cancellations are due to factors beyond the airline’s control.