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Airlines brace for potential summer disruptions due to ATC issues

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Airlines brace for potential summer disruptions due to ATC issues
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Joanna Bailey Managing Editor | Simple Flying

Europe and the United States could face summer air travel delays caused by weather, airspace closures, and staff shortages. Last summer's air traffic issues, such as near collisions in the US, may recur this year. Europe saw 48% more flight delays in 2023 due to adverse weather, posing challenges for summer 2024.

Summer has arrived with millions of holidaymakers. This season can strain airline operations and is a challenging time for air traffic controllers. According to a Financial Times article, only 56% of European flights departed on time in the first week of July. Delays can have knock-on effects, leading to more cancellations.

European airlines are impacted by bad weather, air traffic control restrictions, and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine blocking large areas of airspace. Delays and closed airspace force more planes into already congested skies. According to CNBC, New York City and Florida are most at risk based on air traffic patterns and airport density.

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Many issues plaguing Europe also affect the United States. The FAA has identified a shortage of up to 3,000 air traffic controllers and fatigue among existing staff is a concern. Last summer saw US air traffic jams and near collisions amid coordination challenges.

According to the Guardian, "extreme weather has been arguably the biggest headache for the travel industry so far," disrupting flights significantly in both Europe and the US.

Last summer saw an unprecedented meltdown in UK air traffic that delayed or canceled hundreds of thousands of passengers' flights. This year raises concerns about a repeat as people flock for vacations again.

As global travel rebounds from the pandemic, some airports like Stansted and Manchester in the UK report record numbers. Heathrow had its busiest day on June 30 with 282,207 flights scheduled from June through August—just below pre-pandemic peaks.

The Financial Times reported that last month passengers experienced a cumulative 4.7 million minutes of flight delays—up almost a third from last year—due to strong traffic growth combined with adverse weather conditions.

Passenger numbers are up around 6% over last year in the US. Airlines for America stated that US carriers are adding about another 1,400 flights daily compared to 2023 figures despite Boeing's manufacturing delays impacting aircraft availability.

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