featured-image

AIRLINES including Ryanair and Wizz Air have been forced to cancel flights due to a number of problems with air traffic control. Ryanair confirmed that more than 60 flights were cancelled, with another 150 delayed due to the ATC issues. It is claimed that both staff shortages and equipment failure at the Maastricht centre have caused the problems.

Nats’ chief operations officer Kathryn Leahy told the BBC that the reason behind the shortages was due to the lack of controller training due to the pandemic, although said the training schedules are now as "full as possible". Wizz Air said they have also been forced to cancel a number of flights, with many more than three hours delayed. And Ryanair’s Chief Ops Officer Neal McMahon said said ATC services were at their "worst levels ever".



They said: " Ryanair and many other European airlines are having our schedules repeatedly delayed, flights cancelled, and passengers disrupted due to the mismanagement of European ATC." The budget airline said they were calling on Eurocontrol to investigate why the problems were ongoing. They added: "These repeated ATC delays and cancellations are unacceptable.

"We apologise to our passengers for these repeated ATC flight delays and flight cancellations, which are deeply regrettable but beyond Ryanair’s control.” Wizz Air passengers have also been affected. Holly Patrick, from Folkestone , was told her 11:15am Faro to London Gatwick flight was delayed, only for the airline to cancel it.

She.

Back to Tourism Page