European airlines lost €1 billion to summer airport delays

European airlines faced significant disruptions this summer, with total delays amounting to 10.8 million minutes. According to Ourania Georgoutsakou, Director General of Airlines for Europe (A4E), this loss of time is equivalent to 20.5 years of collective life and has cost the industry approximately €1 billion.

Airspace and capacity issues were identified as the primary drivers, accounting for nearly 50% of all delays. Despite these challenges, air traffic in Europe grew by 2.3% this summer, with an average annual growth rate of 2% expected. Georgoutsakou warned that failing to address capacity constraints will continue to limit the industry as demand rises.

Additionally, the implementation of the new European Union Entry/Exit System (EES) contributed to operational difficulties, with some airports reporting passenger queues lasting between five and five and a half hours. Proper implementation of the EES is cited as essential for better resource allocation and preventing future bottlenecks.