While apologising to passengers for the excessive flight delays and more than 60 cancellations caused by the poor performance of European air traffic control on 27 and 28 June, which affected all European airlines, Ryanair criticises the performance of European authorities in this matter, demanding urgent reform to improve this situation, shares Publituris.

Air traffic control services, which did not benefit from the interruption of the French air traffic controllers’ strike this summer, continue to under perform (despite flight volumes being 5% below 2019 levels) due to repeated “staff shortages” and now an “equipment failure” at its Maastricht hub.

The low-cost airline reported, “more than 30% of Ryanair’s 3,500 flights were delayed due to air traffic control delays”. On the morning of 28 June, 25% of Ryanair’s first wave departures (150 of 600 aircraft) were delayed due to “staff shortages” and “equipment failures” at air traffic control in the Maastricht hub, noting that “these repeated delays and cancellations of flights due to poor air traffic control management are unacceptable”.

Neal McMahon, Director of Operations at Ryanair, said in a statement that “air traffic control services in Europe this summer are at their worst levels ever”.

McMahon also adds that “Ryanair and many other European airlines are seeing their schedules repeatedly delayed, flights canceled and passengers disturbed due to poor management of European air traffic control”.