Ryanair is complaining to Brussels after official data highlighted air traffic control delay issues at Stansted – its largest UK base.
Stansted suffered 52% of all ATC delays in the London area in the first quarter of the year, while Heathrow, which has three times the traffic, had no National Air Traffic Service delays and Gatwick just 10%.
The budget carrier said: “The failure of NATS to fairly supply ATC staffing and airspace resources at Stansted airport has wreaked havoc this summer on both Ryanair and London Stansted flight schedules, with 2018 shaping up to be the worst year on record for ATC disruptions at Stansted.”
A report by the Civil Aviation Authority showed that Stansted suffered 15,268 (52%) minutes of NATS attributable ATC delays in the January to March period while Heathrow suffered none.
“Like all other EU airlines, Ryanair has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights as a result of UK ATC staffing shortages and management failures,” the carrier said.
Ryanair chief operating officer, Peter Bellew, said: “Ryanair and Stansted are clearly being discriminated against by the UK airline owned ATC provider NATS.
“That Stansted has had 52% of all NATS delays in Q1 while Heathrow has 0% and Gatwick just 10% is unjustifiable.
“These disruptions are unfair and unacceptable, and we call on the UK Department for Transport and the EU Commission to take urgent action to ensure that the UK ATC provider, NATS, is fully staffed and treats each London airport fairly.
“Ryanair is today submitting a formal complaint to the European Commission and the UK CAA over this blatant discrimination against Stansted airport and Ryanair.”
He added: “The situation is particularly bad at weekends where NATS are hiding behind adverse weather and euphemisms such as “capacity restrictions” when the truth is they are not rostering enough ATC staff to cater for the number of flights that are scheduled to operate.
“Urgent action must now be taken by the UK DoT and the EU Commission, otherwise thousands more flights and millions of passengers at Stansted will continue to suffer disproportionate delays, while NATS protects its shareholder airlines’ services in Heathrow and Gatwick.”
NATS rejected Ryanair’s claim and said it does not discriminate between airlines or airports.
A spokesman said: “Ryanair performance this summer cannot be blamed on UK air traffic control.
“The figures Ryanair quote from earlier this year coincide with the introduction of new technology that affected the number of flights in and out of Stansted during that period.
“Luton airport was similarly affected at that time and other airports were affected at other times over a six month period.
“All airlines and airports were notified of the timetable in advance and understood the new technology will help us increase capacity safely in the future.”
He added: “Ryanair made similar accusations against NATS in the summer 2016. These were thoroughly investigated by the CAA.
“Their published report stated that: ‘The CAA has found no evidence that NERL [NATS En Route Ltd] has unduly preferred or discriminated against any party.’
“NATS has a duty to ensure commercial aircraft can fly safely through UK airspace.
“Adding extra controllers to the Essex airspace will not make a difference. Additional aircraft cannot fly in that area safely without redesigning the airspace which requires consultation with those affected on the ground.”