Standout data for Summer 2026:
- 35,959 average daily flights, an increase of 2.4% vs Summer 2025
- 17% fewer air traffic flow management (ATFM) delays at 3.27 minutes per flight – split between en-route (2.62 mins) & airport (0.65 mins)
- 72.6% arrival punctuality, 1.2 percentage points higher than Summer 2025
- 37,659 flights on Friday 24 July 2026, a new highest-ever network traffic peak
- 65 other all-time daily records, in some cases set multiple times, registered by 11 airlines/airline groups, 16 airports, 24 area control centres (ACCs) and 14 States
- 681K flights delayed by ATFM restrictions (7.4K flights a day, 21% of all flights)
- 2.9 million minutes of en-route ATFM delays saved (rising to 3.1 million since 1 May) by the continued application of capacity/weather measures (CWBO) in case of adverse weather
- 43% of all en-route ATFM delays were driven by severe convective weather, just behind capacity and staffing at 49% - but with industrial action contributing just 1% (and the final 7% down to miscellaneous causes)
- 45/68 ACCs are currently on track to achieve the European capacity target by year-end; 10 are on track but are continuing to be impacted by adverse weather and/or the ongoing Middle East crisis; while 13 are set to fail to achieve the target.
The EUROCONTROL Network Manager (NM) is now working hard with operational stakeholders to analyse Summer 2026 lessons learnt in order to prepare for Summer 2027 traffic, with particular focus on maintaining strong network planning and commitment, and network stability and predictability.
Key areas to focus on in this regard are:
- significant enhancements of strategic network measures and procedures in terms of weather and capacity management
- early preparation and full commitment to Network Operations Plan (NOP) implementation
- preparation of optimal sector opening schemes and related staff availability
- improved rostering & continuous ATCO recruitment
- airspace modernisation including sectorisation changes
- acceleration of ATM system modernisation and digitalisation
- tangible sector capacity increases.