Eurocontrol Warns of Summer Chaos at European Airports with 33,000 Daily Flights

The air traffic control regulator in Europe is warning of an overloaded air traffic control system in many European countries. Travelers can expect lost luggage and near-daily strikes by air traffic controllers, according to Index.

Eurocontrol issued the warning at the start of the peak tourist season. According to their information, approximately 33,000 daily flights are expected across Europe over the next eight weeks. This is an 8% increase compared to the same period last year.

Major transportation congestions are anticipated in several key regions including Reims and Marseille, Athens, Budapest, London, Barcelona, Brussels, Nicosia, Warsaw, and Zagreb. Weekends, especially Fridays, are expected to be critical.

"Overloads can lead to delays and aircraft diversions, as flights may have to take longer routes to avoid restrictions," Eurocontrol stated.

"This summer in Europe is challenging because we have less available airspace due to the conflict in Ukraine and military needs... Every factor plays a role. Airports need to be well staffed, and it is vital to ensure sufficient capacity to handle air traffic. Airlines, on their part, must adhere to their schedules," said Eamonn Brennan, Director General of Eurocontrol.

Daily flight forecasts are lower than in 2019 when 37,228 flights were recorded on June 28. However, the number of air traffic controllers has decreased, partially due to post-pandemic hiring difficulties. This year, the threat of airline strikes is greater, according to Eurocontrol.

Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association, stated last month that airlines are seriously concerned about air traffic control and that the situation in June was "much worse than usual for this time of year."

"We have a chaotic situation where we see almost daily strikes by air traffic controllers, disrupting traffic not only in France but across Europe as airlines are forced to divert routes to other countries," he said.

Last summer was particularly marked by chaos at some European airports. For example, German airports faced a backlog of unclaimed baggage during the peak summer season due to staff shortages.