Air traffic in Europe is growing exponentiallywith an increase in demand that is putting pressure on the entire airport infrastructure. According to Pierluigi DiPalmapresident of theNational Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC)who gave a long interview to Evening Courier and he returned to the topic at the recent Rimini Meeting, European skies are close to collapse. Di Palma said that the number of daily flights per single aircraft has grown by a third compared to the past, with some routes reaching up to 6-8 flights per day, a pace that many airports can no longer sustain.
The result is a significant increase in delays, cancellations and inconveniences. for passengers.
A system crisis caused by exponential growth
The phenomenon does not only concern Italy, but the entire European airport system. Airports, airlines, handling and catering companies are struggling to handle the increasing air traffic. Di Palma explained that the problem is attributable to a “growth crisis”caused by an increase in air traffic that the existing infrastructure can no longer handle effectively. Passenger numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels, and have even surpassed them.creating overcrowding at the airports during rush hour.
Statistics confirm this trend: in June 2024, Italian airports recorded 21.5 million passengers, exceeding the numbers of the following months and those of the previous summer. This increase in demand has led to a saturation of terminals, with planes flying at 90% of their capacity.against the 75% expected on average. With more passengers on board and less free space, the system cannot maintain the necessary operational efficiency.
Read Also: IATA: Record Revenues Near $1 Trillion. But Margins Remain at 3%
Lack of investment and staff shortage
Another key factor contributing to the crisis is the lack of post-pandemic investment, especially in the air traffic control sector. While Italy, through theEnav (the national flight assistance agency), took exception, In many other European countries, no significant investments have been made to upgrade infrastructure and human resources. Di Palma points out that many air traffic management companies have reduced staffing during the pandemic, and new hires require a period of training before they can operate at full capacity.
The direct consequence is that delays experienced by a flight are unlikely to be recovered during the course of the day. Indeed, they tend to accumulate and spread to subsequent flights, generating a domino effect that progressively worsens the situation.
The increase in delays: causes and consequences
Flight delays in Europe have increased by 153% in one year, mainly due to infrastructure problems and programming that “stressed” the system beyond its limits. Bad weather was an aggravating factor, but not the main cause: the real problems are the lack of staff and inadequate infrastructure compared to current traffic volumes.
In particular, many airports they have not increased the number of staff involved in check-in, security, baggage handling and boarding operations. This has led to long queues, inconvenience and growing tensions. The Italian airports that require greater attention are Bergamo, Bologna, Palermo, Catania, Naples and Venicewhere the greatest critical issues are occurring.
The need for an infrastructural restructuring
According to Di Palma the current crisis cannot be solved in the short termbut requires long-term planning and adequate investment to upgrade airport infrastructure across Europe.
The increase in demand for flights, combined with less than optimal scheduling, has led to a situation where airlines and airports are struggling to manage the flows.
“You can no longer plan flows by predicting planes with an average occupancy rate of 75%, because today they are 90% full,” explains Di Palma.
This means that during peak hours, terminals are overcrowded and airports are unable to provide efficient service.
Travel Tips: When to Fly?
Faced with this scenario, Di Palma advises passengers to choose carefully when to fly.It is best to opt for early morning flights, preferably on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.,” suggests the president of Enac. The days in which business travellers usually fly (bleisure permitting…).
Avoid peak days like Friday, Sunday and Monday can help reduce the risk of delays and inconvenience.
An infrastructure challenge for the future of air transport in Europe
The crisis in Europe’s skies raises major questions about the future of air travel on the continent. With travel demand continuing to grow, it is vital that regulators and industry players invest in infrastructure and staff to avoid a system collapse.
In the meantime, Enac has already announced its intention to launch an anti-chaos plan for 2025, which aims to improve operational efficiency and prevent future crises. This plan should include increased investment in infrastructure, an enhancement of airport operational capacity and greater integration between airports to optimise traffic management.
The Ita-Lufthansa merger and the role of Fiumicino
An opportunity for relaunch could come from the merger between Ita Airways and Lufthansa, recently approved by the European Commission. Di Palma considers this operation as excellent news, since will allow the Lufthansa group to use Fiumicino airport as a “relief valve“ to drain traffic from Central Europe, currently struggling with flight punctuality and regularity.
Read more: Ita-Lufthansa. It’s done (finally)!
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