Eurocontrol calls on airlines and airports to ease operational pressure ahead of summer peak

European air navigation body Eurocontrol is urging airlines and airports to build greater resilience into summer schedules as Europe’s air traffic network continues to face pressure from controller shortages and airspace disruption.

image: NATS

The organisation has warned that tightly planned airline schedules, limited turnaround flexibility and congestion at major hub airports are increasing the risk that relatively small disruptions can quickly escalate into wider network delays across Europe.

Eurocontrol said more realistic scheduling and stronger coordination between airlines, airports and air navigation service providers would help improve operational resilience during the busiest parts of the summer season.

In an on-line webinar briefing it urged airlines to “fly what you file”. It said the combination of high passenger demand and limited operational flexibility means delays can rapidly cascade through airline rotations and airport operations, particularly where aircraft and crews are scheduled tightly throughout the day. The resulting disruption can contribute to holding patterns, stand shortages, missed slots and operational measures such as extended airport operating hours during recovery periods.

During the webinar, European air navigation service providers and regulators also faced renewed criticism over staffing levels in air traffic control centres. Eurocontrol warned that air traffic controller shortages had not been adequately addressed despite growing demand for air travel.

Guillaume Binard, operations director at French air navigation service provider DSNA, said that demand was exceeding capacity and that the network did not have enough air traffic controllers to meet projected traffic growth. He reported reduced delays so far this summer after “we negotiated more-efficient duty rosters and tightened management of absence” but acknowledged current resources in air traffic control covering southern France are clearly insufficient.

Ryanair deputy director for flight operations control Conor Gilvardy told the same webinar “Air traffic control delayed 200,000 of our flights last year and we’re in weekly contact with DSNA, because it is the number-one cause of problems.

“There is huge work to be done on recruitment. There are simply not enough people sitting behind air traffic control desks,” he nevertheless insisted, “We are no way criticising the controllers. Our criticism is of under-resourcing.”

Eurocontrol forecasts traffic this summer will be 2% up on last year having reduced an earlier forecast of a 3.3% increase due to the US war on Iran – but says some weeks from the end of June could see an increase in traffic of 5% or more.