Ryanair blames Spain’s air traffic control for 17,000 flight delays

Ryanair says more than 17,000 of its flights departing from or arriving in Spain have been delayed since 1 April, affecting around 3.1 million passengers – a 47 % rise compared with the same period last year. The airline attributes the surge to chronic staffing shortages at Enaire, Spain’s public air‑traffic‑control manager, and claims the provider has failed to recruit, schedule and deploy enough controllers for the summer traffic peak.

Ryanair’s operations director Neal McMahon called the situation “unacceptable” and urged the Spanish government to intervene, noting that Spain has now become the worst‑performing ATC provider in Europe, with delays 18 % higher than France. Enaire has announced more than 70 remedial actions, including the hiring of 79 new controllers, but Ryanair says the measures have not yet produced tangible benefits. The airline also cited a French Senate report on ATC reforms to underline the need for urgent changes.

The airline warns that the continued disruption could damage Spain’s reputation as a major tourist destination and affect the broader economy, while passengers may be entitled to compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004.