Ryanair has called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to “urgently reform” Europe’s air traffic control (ATC) services or resign.
On Friday (October 3), the low-cost airline published its latest ‘ATC Delays League’ table, showing that France, Spain, Germany, the UK, and Greece are the worst performers so far in 2025.
In France, more than 57,000 Ryanair flights and 10 million Ryanair passengers were delayed between January and late September 2025.
In Spain, 34,000 flights and 6 million passengers were delayed, and in Germany, 16,000 flights and almost 3 million passengers.
"It is inexcusable that Europe’s worst performing ATCs continue to inflict so many avoidable flight delays and cancellations on millions of Ryanair passengers,” said Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair.
“The EU ATC needs reform. If Ursula von ‘Derlayed-Again’ won’t deliver it, then she should step aside and let someone competent do her job.”
Ryanair renewed its calls for the EU to mandate that national ATC services must be fully staffed for each first wave of morning flights, or face fines.
Joining other airlines, Ryanair also called for protecting overflights during national ATC strikes. This proposal is also backed by easyJet and Airlines for Europe (A4E), a group that represents major carriers including Lufthansa Group, Air France-KLM, and IAG.
Other A4E proposals, first tabled in December 2023, include mandatory arbitration before ATC unions can threaten strike action; a 21-day advance notification of strike action; and a 72-hour advance notification of participation in industrial action.
Ryanair argues that the worst performers in its ATC Delays League are those where national governments “refuse to ensure” that their ATC services are properly staffed and managed.
Today, for example, Ryanair has issued another statement upbraiding the UK’s Department of Transport for allowing staff shortages at NATS, the country’s ATC provider, to disrupt flights over the weekend.
On Sunday (October 5), NATS staff shortages meant that 18,500 passengers travelling to and from London faced "avoidable" delays, the airline said.
At the same time, however, there are bright spots for European air traffic control, mostly in the Low Countries and the Baltics.
Today, Eurocontrol published new figures showing that its Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) handled 677,010 flights from June to September 2025 - its highest volume since the pandemic.
This includes a new daily traffic record of 5,831 flights on July 4, 2025.
Eurocontrol MUAC added that average delay per flight has been “well controlled” so far in 2025, thanks to “healthy staffing levels” and “tactical management".
The group is aiming for a full-year average of 0.31 minutes (or 18.6 seconds) of delay per flight.
It will also recruit 100 new air traffic controllers over the coming years.