Delays in European air traffic decreased by 37% in July of this year compared with the same month last year, according to data published by the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol).
The majority of delays were due to problems with the capacity of air traffic control systems and airport infrastructure, as well as adverse weather systems. Time spent waiting at an airport and time in the air were factors taken into consideration.
Marseille tops the list of 20 European airports as the one reporting the highest number of delayed flights. No airports in Portugal are listed.
Eurocontrol notes that Marseille registered a total of 3,028 delays, followed by Barcelona and Warsaw, with 2,406 and 2,321 respectively. The majority of delays at Marseille and Barcelona ranged from the inability of air traffic control systems to provide air navigation services, to problems with personnel and inclement weather conditions. Warsaw reported similar problems as well as technical difficulties with data processing systems.
While airports in Portugal were not singled out, many others in France besides Marseille were criticised for their poor time keeping including Reims, Brest and Bordeaux as well as all those in Paris.
|| Top 20 European airports with the most delays
1. Marseille 3,028
2. Barcelona 2,406
3. Warsaw 2,321
4. Baden 1,994
5. Paris (all airports) 1,476
6. London (all airports) 1,384
7. Nicosia 1,284
8. Zurich 1,262
9. Reims 1,080
10. Brest 1,077
11. Vienna 1,011
12. Langen 983
13. Bordeaux 958
14. Maastricht 883
15. London (Heathrow) 826
16. Zurich ACC 615
17. Madrid (all airports) 566
18. Frankfurt 522
19. Amsterdam (Schiphol) 458
20. Palma de Maiorca 404
