The average delay per flight in Q1 2023 increased to a 5-year high of 14.5 minutes per flight, compared to Q1 2022 where the average delay per flight was 9.5 minutes per flight. The number of flights increased by 21% when compared to Q1 2022.
Arrival punctuality for the year deteriorated, with 76.4% of flights arriving within 15 minutes or earlier than their scheduled arrival time (STA).
Further analysis into the causes of delay shows reactionary (knock-on) delay contributed the most to the average delay per flight with a 43% share of delay minutes, translating to 6.3 minutes per flight.
Airline causes, such as ground handling, staff shortage related delay ranked second with 4 minutes per flight.
En-route ATFM delay sharply increased to 1.2 minutes per flight. There were significantly more ATFM capacity issues in the network in Q1 2023, these being the main driver of reactionary delays.
Industrial action was the main cause of en-route disruption during Q1 2023, with ATC industrial actions in France occurring in all three months of the quarter, with March seeing strikes from 06 March - 31 March.
Airport delays also increased, as many of the major European hub airports struggled with labour shortages and adjusting their operations to accommodate the increasing numbers of passengers, industrial action also played a factor here with German airports seeing ground staff strikes in January and February.
Finally, weather delays remained stable during the quarter, however seasonal weather such a snow, fog and freezing temperatures affected Amsterdam Schiphol, London Heathrow and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen airports.