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It seems that all I write about lately is travel chaos, but we are certainly living in chaotic times, and unfortunately, travel is often one of the most affected industries when there are global upheavals of any kind. Having just laid down my pen after commenting on the amazing job that our Travel Professionals have been doing in the face of the chaos caused by the current unrest in the Middle East, I see that Europe has been facing its own disruptions as airports everywhere are packed with dissatisfied travellers whose flights have either been drastically delayed or cancelled altogether.
This is not the usual sort of chaos one might experience due to bad weather or similar circumstances, but rather the type that can only stem from a combination of factors, some of which may not be temporary. Hence my concern that this current disruption could be signalling issues we cannot simply wait out but rather need to address now if we are ever to return to normality.
If you are not familiar with the scope of the chaos, perhaps this excerpt I read in JN News a couple of weeks ago sums it up well: “In a series of events that has impacted major airlines like Lufthansa, KLM, and Finnair, the Netherlands, UK, Italy, and other countries have experienced 1,720 flight delays and 61 cancellations, wreaking havoc on plans and schedules. The scale of the disruption is staggering, with major hubs like Paris and London, among others, grappling with the fallout.”
What is behind it?
Obviously, in analysing the causes behind this issue, one immediately gravitates towards the geopolitical upheaval caused by the USA/Israeli/Iran war and the resultant fuel shortages. There is no question that certain airlines are adjusting operations based on fuel availability and cost risk, but that alone would not cause this kind of upheaval. There is more to it.
We have, in recent times, seen a huge boom in travel as a result of a spate of low-cost airlines offering attractive fares, and this is a factor too. Growth in low-cost carriers has significantly increased European flight volumes and increased airspace demand, but once again this is just one contributing factor, but not the main cause. The fact that this has created huge congestion at major hubs and increased pressure on air traffic systems, however, has a lot to do with what I believe is one of the most important factors – an ever-increasing shortage of airport staff, and, in particular, Air Traffic Controllers!
Who will control the airways?
Europe is experiencing a significant shortage of air traffic controllers. This is highly concerning, as it is not just bad weather, a pandemic, or a war that we can hope will pass — it is an essential issue that must be addressed now, or it will only continue to worsen. For some reason, young people are not pursuing this as a career, and new trainees are few and far between. Certainly, the profession is perceived as highly stressful and is not well marketed, reducing the likelihood of Gen Z seeing it as the glamorous career it once was. This shortage is a key driver of delays and cancellations.
I don’t know how close we are to AI systems handling this function, but as a passenger, I would be quite nervous about it. Air traffic controllers often have to respond to completely unexpected events within split seconds. This relies on natural, instantaneous decision-making, something that cannot easily be programmed.
Alternative solutions for South African travellers
The bottom line is that South Africans, many of whom travel to and through Europe, are affected by this chaos so perhaps I can offer them just a little advice. For a start, I suggest that our Travel Professionals should suggest alternative entry points into Europe as the use of secondary hubs and less congested airports can reduce the travellers disruption risk.
Also, why not look into alternatives to non-air travel within Europe? Most of the delays and cancellations are flights within Europe because short-haul European flights are more affected by cancellations than long-haul routes. Europe has a highly developed, frequent, and efficient rail network, which is often more convenient for city-to-city movement than air travel. There are also rail and ferry alternatives available for inter-European travel. Both of these are more cost effective than flying and offer lower environmental impact and reduced travel stress.
So. once again as I lay down my pen and take a sip of my ‘glass half full’ I’ll leave you with one last consideration. There are some things we can wait to pass – but some things we need to fix now before they become the issues of the future. Either way – if we see what’s coming and work together, there will always be solutions. Cheers!
Lidia de Olim
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER