The summer season of this year has been chaotic for the aviation industry, for service providers and customers alike. From insufficient staffing at airport security, to slow border control and air traffic controllers strikes, the past few months have been filled with obstacles for airlines as they continue to recover from the devasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The continued requests at short notice from some major European airports for airlines to reduce capacity due to their inability to cope with the quick uptick in passenger demand is particularly worrying, Airlines for Europe (A4E) highlighted in a statement. A4E is calling on all players in European aviation to step up and meet their responsibilities to ensure the mistakes of the past summer are not repeated.
Airlines do not operate in a vacuum. They are dependent a whole host of services to bring passengers from A to B on time. Too often over the summer, airlines have had additional challenges.
Thomas Reynaert, Managing Director A4E
Speaking at the Eurocontrol Conference entitled Where to Next for European Aviation?, Managing Director Thomas Reynaert highlighted earlier today the challenges in ramping up capacity in the airline industry after nearly two years of relative inactivity and how airlines have been working tirelessly to overcome them. He noted however that airlines are highly dependent on a complex infrastructure that has failed to operate the way it should this summer.
Speaking on a panel entitled Avoiding the chaos of 2022, Reynaert pointed out how airlines are depended on other factors to ensure a smooth service, but over the summer additional challenges kept arising, from failings at airports, insufficient staff at ground handlers and air traffic controllers strikes. “Often these issues arise at very short notice, making it difficult for airlines to adapt”, he added.
“Airlines do not operate in a vacuum. We therefore need a joint approach that ensures all of us in the European aviation industry work as closely as possible to avoid reductions in capacity – especially at short notice. Airlines are working tirelessly to meet passenger demand and ensure flights depart and arrive on time”, Reynaert stated.
He also said A4E and its members are working closely with airports, suppliers, the European Commission and national governments to address the challenges of the past summer and find constructive solutions. “We expect others to also continue engaging positively and proactively to ensure we do not see the chaos of summer 2022 repeated”, Reynaert concluded.
