Ryanair has singled out the UK as among the worst countries in Europe for air traffic control-caused flight delays – as the airline demanded the European Commission take action

Ryanair has launched a withering attack on air traffic control delays in the UK and a number of other countries.

Boss Michael O’Leary claimed a “scandal” of short staffing and mismanagement had caused widespread disruption for the airline and passengers. He singled out air traffic control in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Greece.

Mr O’Leary said it “can no longer be tolerated”, as he called on the European Commission to intervene.

Ryanair stepped up its attack by comparing the five countries with five others with, it said, the best track record on delays. The Irish airline said 3,380 of its flights last year were impacted by delays on UK air traffic control, soaring to 35,100 in France. Yet that compared with just 210 in Slovakia that had delays, and only 70 in Ireland.

Mr O’Leary branded operators in France, Spain, Germany, Greece and the UK “hopelessly mismanaged”. He went on: “The difference is that these are protected state monopolies, who don’t care about customer service, they don’t care about passengers, and they don’t care about their airline customers either. Every year they are short-staffed and they are responsible for over 90% of Europe’s flight delays, which adds an extra 10% to aviation emissions in Europe.

Mr O’Leary added: “Ryanair, our customers, and our passengers are fed up with these avoidable ATC delays, which are imposed on us every Summer by the French, the Germans, the Spanish, the Greeks and the British. All that is necessary to properly manage their ATC service is to recruit and train sufficient air traffic controllers, just as the Irish, the Danes, the Dutch, the Belgians and the Slovakians have already shown.

“It is time for this European mismanagement and incompetence to end, or for ATC services of France, Germany, Spain, Greece, and the UK to be opened up to the competition.”

Ryanair last week issued a warning to holidaymakers after travel chaos at several airports in Portugal meant that hundreds were left stranded at departure gates. The budget airline said more than 270 passengers have missed their flights over the past two weeks due to extensive queues and chronic understaffing at border control.

The worst delays are being felt in Faro, Lisbon and Porto airports, with wait times reportedly stretching to a staggering two and a half hours. In a statement, Ryanair called the situation as “completely unacceptable”, calling on Portugal’s new government to sort out the staffing crisis.

Ryanair placed the blame with airport operator ANA, accusing it of failing to prepare adequately for the annual summer travel surge.