The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released a report revealing that Air Traffic Control (ATC) delays in Europe have more than doubled over the last decade, causing significant disruption for passengers.
Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) delays in the region rose by 114% in the period 2015-2024. This is against a rise of only 6.7% in flight numbers over the same period. The analysis excluded delays caused by weather. Flight cancellations induced by ATC strikes were also not included in the analysis.
Capacity limitations and staff shortages account for the majority of delays, issues that have been known for some time but inadequately mitigated, especially in France and Germany. The Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) of France and Germany are responsible for more than 50% of all delays.
“We’re now seeing the consequences of Europe’s failure to get a grip on air traffic control. A small, expected improvement in 2025 from a very bad 2024 does not change the deterioration that we have seen over the last decade. Airlines and travelers were promised a Single European Sky that would cut delays and reduce fuel burn through more efficient navigation and routes. Instead, passengers have seen delays more than double. While Eurocrats debate ways to increase the burden of EU261 passenger compensation, the root cause of much of the delay suffered by travelers—air traffic control—escapes without action or censure. And Europe’s connectivity and competitiveness suffer from schedules that must accommodate ATC inefficiency. It is completely unacceptable,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Some notable analysis from the report:
- 7.2 million flights were delayed in the period 2015-October 2025. Of those, 6.4 million were delayed by 30 minutes or less, and 700,000 were delayed by at least 30 minutes.
- In 2024, delays reached 30.4 million minutes (up 114% compared to 14.2 million minutes in 2015), of which 38% occurred in July and August.
- In 2024, staffing and capacity issues were responsible for 87% of ANSP delay. Staffing-related delays (not including strikes) have increased an astonishing 201.7% since 2015.
- Industrial action and strikes have become more prevalent in recent years, accounting for 8.8% of overall ANSP-caused delays. 9.8 million minutes of delays were caused by ATC strikes over the decade - a period that includes the pandemic when air traffic almost came to a complete halt.
Numbers are calculated to either full-year 2024 or to October 2025 (latest available figures at publication) as stated. An updated version of the report will be produced when full-year 2025 data is available.
Read the report on ATC delays in Europe
