#barig.aerogram - Combat delays in air traffic efficiently
The entire air traffic industry agrees: this summer’s unacceptable extent of delays in European and especially German air traffic requires urgent and sustainable action. This issue is emphasized by the Federal Association of German Air Traffic Industry (BDL) as well as the Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG), which represents the mutual interests of over 100 national and international airlines operating from and to Germany.
# –Combat delays in air traffic efficiently
The entire air traffic industry agrees: this summer’s unacceptable extent of delays in European and especially German air traffic requires urgent and sustainable action. This issue is emphasized by the Federal Association of German Air Traffic Industry (BDL) as well as the Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG), which represents the mutual interests of over 100 national and international airlines operating from and to Germany.
Multiple reasons induce the current situation:
- Strikes, mostly by flight controllers, service providers or air traffic companies lead to flight cancellations as well as aircraft detours causing massive and unnecessary delays.
- This aggravates the already existing capacity constraints in European skies since a uniform transnational air space has still not been established.
- Among others, further reasons are inefficient security controls at airports with partially very long waiting times as well as this year’s large number of weather extremes that massively interfere with airline operations at airports and repeatedly produce delays.
- Rigid restrictions of operating hours and night flight bans at airports additionally impede the smooth execution of air traffic procedures.
The air traffic industry is already reacting to the situation:
- Where necessary and possible, airlines, airports and the German air traffic control DFS are already employing more staff.
- DFS is working with its European partners to equalize large traffic hubs to bring relief to the air space.
- If flights are delayed, system partners are already prioritizing these flights in order to reduce the delay. In addition, they optimize flight schedules and ground processes and also schedule time buffers.
- The airports are trying, where possible, to increase the capacity at security checks. Since these are organized by the state, the companies themselves can only provide limited relief.
These measures alone are not sufficient. Action must be taken by politics:
- Capacities of air space must be increased significantly: This also requires increased initiative by the EU and its member states to overcome the fragmented organization of air traffic control in Europe and the not everywhere implemented civil-military integration.
- Wherever necessary, airport infrastructure requires need-oriented modernization.
- Regarding security controls, the great coalition on national level must turn declarations of intent into practical actions, relieve airlines from the massive cost pressure and allow stronger integration of airlines and airport operators into the organization of respective controls.
- Greater personnel efforts by the federal police are needed to accelerate border controls during peaks and vacation periods.
BARIG appreciates announcements of Federal Ministers
BARIG Secretary General Michael Hoppe states, “Air traffic guarantees mobility, wealth and prosperity. In view of the further increasing passenger and flight numbers in Germany and Europe, frictionless execution of air traffic procedures must be enabled in the best possible manner and developed farsightedly. Germany must keep pace. We, therefore, appreciate the latest announcements of Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer and Federal Minister of Transport Andreas Scheuer to contribute to sustained improvements of the delay situation. Now it is time to create a catalog of measures in cooperation with the airlines and airport operators that aims to allow for efficient and timely execution of procedures. In this context, airlines and associations offer their assistance and broad know-how to authorities, institutions and system partners.”
