Ryanair warns of significant flight delays in Spain this summer

Low-cost airline Ryanair has raised alarms regarding a potential increase of up to 20% in flight delays for routes to and from Spain during the upcoming summer months. The airline attributes this worrying forecast to a shortage of air traffic controllers (ATCs) within the country.

The airline has publicly released a 'League of Delays' report, identifying European nations where inadequate staffing and management of ATCs have contributed to severe disruptions for passengers. This report covers data from January 1 to May 26, revealing that Spain ranks second in the list, following France, with over 11,500 delayed flights affecting more than two million travelers.

In response to this situation, Ryanair has called upon Spain’s Transport Minister, Óscar Puente, to take decisive action by increasing the number of ATC personnel in control towers.

This announcement emerges amidst an ongoing dispute between Ryanair and the Spanish government, particularly concerning what the airline deems excessively high airport charges. These fees have prompted Ryanair to reduce operations at several smaller regional airports. The nature of this contention has led to skepticism regarding the airline’s claims about the anticipated rise in delays.

The backdrop for this issue is a challenging year for air travel, as 2024 has already witnessed record levels of air traffic control delays, even though the overall number of flights across Europe remains 5% lower than pre-pandemic figures.

Ryanair has cautioned that disruptions in ATC services may intensify this summer, holding the European Commission and national governments accountable for what it describes as poor ATC services.

According to the airline’s 'League of Delays', France has the highest number of delays, with Spain following closely behind, along with Germany, Portugal, and the UK.

Ryanair's statement highlights that while ATC delays have surged in 2024, fees associated with ATC services for airlines and passengers have increased at a rate exceeding inflation—up 35% since the onset of the pandemic.

Michael O’Leary, Ryanair Group CEO, remarked, “Our ATC ‘league of delays’ exposes Europe’s worst ATCs for delays due to mismanagement and staff shortages from January to May 2025.”

He emphasized that EU transport ministers will be held accountable for the persistent and avoidable delays caused by inadequate staffing. O’Leary noted that national ATC services receive airline timetables nearly a year in advance, stating that there is no justification for not adequately preparing to manage the anticipated air traffic.

“Addressing Europe’s ATC staff shortages, alongside safeguarding overflights during national ATC strikes, would eliminate 90% of the EU’s ATC delays, yet transport ministers remain inactive,” he concluded.