Warning of summer travel chaos for holidaymakers as air traffic control expects to be ‘overloaded’ at European airports including London, Brussels and Barcelona

• Europe is bracing itself for an estimated 33,000 flights per day over eight weeks
• Air traffic controller recruitment issues and strikes also pose a major threat 

Holidaymakers have been warned of summer chaos as air traffic control forecasts ‘overloads’ at European airports including London, Brussels and Barcelona.

Eurocontrol, which manages European airspace, has reported fears of a ‘challenging’ summer amid the start of the peak summer season, as air traffic control braces itself for an estimated 33,000 flights per day for the next eight weeks.

This is around an eight per cent increase on the number of flights across Europe for the same period last year.

The warning comes as Britons are set to make more than 25 million trips abroad between now and September – with the majority of these by air.

Eurocontrol also cited the war in Ukraine as a contributing factor to delays due to the military requiring more airspace.

Holidaymakers have been warned of a ‘challenging’ summer ahead as air traffic control forecasts ‘overloads’ at main travel hubs including London, Brussels and Barcelona. Pictured: A plane takes off from Heathrow Airport in London

With the threat of strikes looming this summer too, there are fears that holidaymakers will face travel chaos in the peak season. Pictured: Passengers at Bristol Airport face huge queues at the check-in desks on May 28

It also predicts that it will experience ‘high overloads’ of traffic most days in key regions such as Athens, Budapest and France, particularly in Reims and Marseilles.

On peak days, notably Fridays and summer weekends, the air traffic company forecasts overloads for London, Barcelona, Brussels, Budapest, Nicosia, Warsaw and Zagreb, The Times reports.

READ MORE: How families can save hundreds of pounds off their summer holidays by flying midweek to avoid Heathrow strike chaos – as travellers are urged to check their insurance in case it doesn’t cover cancellations

Overloads can have a serious impact on travel, resulting in major delays – especially if aircraft are forced to take longer routes to avoid busy areas.

Raul Medina, Eurocontrol’s director-general, said: ‘This summer in Europe is challenging as we have less available airspace because of the war in Ukraine and the military needs… We need everyone to play their part. 

‘Airports need to be well staffed, it is vital [air traffic services] provide enough capacity and airlines stick to their schedules.’ 

Medina told a meeting of the Airports Council International in Barcelona that increased military activity had reduced available airspace by up to 20 per cent, leading to some control centres facing far more traffic from rerouted flights.

He added: ‘Recent industrial action caused many delays. We can manage situations like that in quieter periods but if it happens in the middle of summer it will be much more challenging.’ 

Although the prediction of 33,000 flights per day falls short of the 37,228 flights recorded on a single day in June 2019, there are external factors that pose a bigger threat.

The number of air traffic controllers has dropped, in part from the struggle to recruit workers since the pandemic. Meanwhile, strikes could also play a major role in the ‘challenging’ summer ahead.

Short-haul flights departing from the UK and Spain are often badly impacted by the French air traffic control strikes

Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association, sounded the alarm about air traffic control last month as he warned that the disruption in June was ‘well beyond what is normal for the time of year’. 

He added: ‘We have the chaotic situation where we’re seeing almost daily air traffic control strikes, which doesn’t just disrupt traffic in France but right across Europe because it forces airlines to reroute to other countries.’

Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary has said that air traffic control strikes in France is one of the biggest threats to summer travel. 

Short-haul flights departing from the UK and Spain are often badly impacted by the French strikes because officials in France prioritise domestic departures and long-haul flights.

Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary (pictured) has said that air traffic control strikes in France is one of the biggest threats to summer travel

This ultimately results in the cancellation of short-haul flights using French airspace but not landing in France.

A 34-hour strike by French air traffic controllers ended on June 30. It was the 60th day of action by the airport workers this year in response to Emmanuel Macron’s hated pension reforms.

With France also engulfed by riots following the ‘execution’ of a 17-year-old boy of Algerian descent by police, Britons have also been told to check the latest Foreign Office advice before travelling.

Holidaymakers have been told it is ‘more important than ever to get travel insurance and check it provides sufficient cover’.

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