The Irish airline Ryanair has blamed Austrian air traffic control for flight delays and Transport Minister Peter Hanke called for immediate reforms. According to the low-cost airline, nearly 1 passengers were affected by delays on August 12.000. Ryanair attributes these disruptions to a lack of staff at air traffic control centers.
Ryanair is demanding adequate staffing to prevent further delays during the summer travel rush. The criticism follows a series of complaints that Ryanair has filed against various European air traffic control authorities in recent years. The airline's CEO, Michael O'Leary, is known for his sharp criticism of the state-run air traffic control monopolies in countries such as France, Spain, Germany, and Greece. He claims that these countries cause over 90 percent of European flight delays due to mismanagement and staff shortages.
Austria's Transport Minister, Peter Hanke, who only took office in March 2025, is now confronted with the airline's demands. It remains to be seen how the ministry will respond to the allegations. So far, no major strikes or technical failures in air traffic control have been reported in Austria, as they have occurred in other European countries. Ryanair's criticism, which often receives media attention, is aimed at putting pressure on national governments and the EU Commission.
Ryanair's repeated calls for reforms in European airspace are part of a broader campaign that also calls on passengers to contact their national transport ministers directly. The airline argues that the delays, which affect hundreds of thousands of travelers each year, are unnecessary and could be avoided with better planning and staffing.
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