French Air Traffic Control Under Scrutiny After Court Report and Ryanair Warning

A Court of Accounts report released on 6 July 2026 sharply criticized the management of France’s air‑traffic control (ATC) workforce, highlighting chronic staff shortages and outdated procedures at the Southeast Center in Aix‑en‑Provence. The report labelled France the worst‑performing European country for flight delays in 2023 and warned that half of the nation’s delays stem from ATC issues.

Following a Senate study that warned of rising delay risks, Ryanair called on the French government and the European Commission to overhaul ATC operations. The airline cited Eurocontrol forecasts that average delays could reach four minutes per flight by 2030, potentially costing airlines €1.7 billion annually by 2035. With 30 % of French controllers expected to retire by that year, Ryanair’s chief operations officer Neal McMahon called the Senate report a “management failure” and urged uncapped recruitment, protection for overflights during strikes, and modernization of technology.

Both reports suggest that without urgent reforms, a portion of flights may have to be cancelled, threatening the reliability of European air travel.