IATA reports air traffic delays across the report to have doubled.
IATA has reported significant disruptions across Europe, with air traffic flow management (ATFM) delays rising by 114% during 2015-2024.
Delays caused by extreme weather patterns and those delayed by ATC strikes were removed from the report.
A majority of delays, over 50%, were inadequately mitigated by regions such as France and Germany, where most of the delays occurred during the report. Capacity issues and staff shortages were reported to be the most common causes of delay but lacked proper care to reduce the risk of delay.
“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 travellers 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.” shares Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General
Data Analysis From IATA’s European Flight Delay Report
IATA reported that over 7.2 million flights were delayed globally from October 2015 to October 2025, meaning over a decade, millions of passengers have been subject to 6.4 million flights being delayed for 30 minutes or less and 700k delayed for over 30 minutes.
In 2024, IATA reports flight delays caused by staffing shortages and capacity issues were up by 87%, and staffing delays have seen an increase of 20.1% since 2015, excluding delays caused by ATC strikes.
“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.
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