RYANAIR CALLS ON EU PRESIDENT URSULA VON “DERLAYED-AGAIN” TO URGENTLY REFORM EU’S BROKEN ATC SYSTEM

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Wed, 24 Sep) called on EU President, Ursula von “Derlayed-Again”, to urgently reform EU’s broken ATC system after over 1,600 passengers’ travel plans were disrupted on Sun (21 Sep) due to repeated Eindhoven ATC mismanagement and staff shortages.

Despite Ryanair’s long-standing campaign for EU-wide reform to ensure ATC providers are fully staffed, over 21 million Ryanair passengers have suffered unnecessary delays or cancellations so far in 2025 (Jan – Sept) due to mismanagement and staff shortages at ATC service providers across Europe.

The Draghi Report on competitiveness was published in Sept 2024, highlighting the multi-billion cost of ATC inefficiencies and flight delays. Despite promising urgent action on the Draghi Report, Ursula von “Derlayed-Again” has done nothing to reform the EU’s broken ATC system. Europe’s airlines are united in calling for 2 effective reforms; (1) mandate that national ATC services are fully staffed for the first wave of morning flights or face fines, and (2) the EU Comm acts to protect overflights during national ATC strikes. These 2 simple reforms would eliminate 90% of EU ATC delays.

Ryanair calls on all passengers to visit the ‘Air Traffic Control Ruined Your Flight’ webpage and demand that EU President, Ursula von “Derlayed-Again” and national Transport Ministers take urgent action to properly staff their national ATC services to prevent further unnecessary ATC delays for EU passengers.

Ryanair’s Director of Comms, Jade Kirwan, said:

“It is unacceptable that Europe’s passengers continue to suffer avoidable ATC disruptions due to repeated ATC mismanagement and staff shortages – as was the case in Eindhoven on Sunday (21 Sep) where over 1,600 Ryanair passengers’ travel plans were unfairly disrupted due to repeated Eindhoven ATC staff shortages.

Ryanair calls on EU President Ursula von “Derlayed-Again” to take action to urgently reform the EU’s broken ATC system, starting with a mandate that ATC services are fully staffed, especially for the critical first wave of morning flights.”