Austrian expert: Severe flight delays caused by Hungarian air traffic controllers

Daniel Liebhart is the leader of the air traffic controller department of Vida, an Austrian trade union and also works as an air traffic controller. He believes the main cause for the severe delays concerning many flights in Europe is the Hungarian air traffic controllers and the HungaroControl. He added that they struggle for better working conditions but the Orbán cabinet does not listen to their needs and demands.

Is the Hungarian government the reason for the many delayed, cancelled flights in Europe?

Mr Liebhart stated in a recent Facebook post that “HungaroControls airspace is the number one delay factor in the European ATM network”. Concerning the reasons, he came up with the following explanation.

Photo: FB/HungaroControl

“Because social dialogue is completely missing. Working conditions are deteriorating and staff is leaving the company [the HungaroControl – DNH]. Gewerkschaft vida and ETF Civil Aviation call on #Orban and his government to establish meaningful social dialogue. People all over Europe and #austria will be facing major delays for their #Holidays towards #greece and #turkey!”, he concluded his post.

Budapest is on the top, but that is bad news

He also shared an ACC view on which Budapest is unquestionably on the top meaning that the air traffic flow management (ATFM) delay en route was the highest in Budapest:

The press release of Vida continuously slams the Hungarian government. Mr Liebhart said the Orbán cabinet has a negative attitude towards trade unions and employees. As a result, and thanks to some legal changes, the working conditions of their Hungarian colleagues deteriorated in the last few years.

Hungarian air controllers work in a toxic environment

He said the Hungarian air controllers have to work in a toxic environment. As a result, many decided to leave even the country. He added the Hungarian state could not give enough salaries or maintain the social level of the air traffic controllers.

The statement said HungaroControl struggles with a brutal labour shortage, so the company is one of the main reasons for the delays in Europe. The lack of capacities in the Hungarian airspace results in an unbearable work burden in other European countries. Therefore, Austrian passengers travelling to spend their holidays in Türkiye or Greece should prepare for delays and cancellations since the air route goes through Hungarian airspace, RTL Klub wrote.

Photo: FB/HungaroControl

Read also:

• Chaos: Wizz Air flights in brutal delays, many passengers missed Cyprus plane – Read more HERE
• Turmoil: 240 Wizz Air passengers left stranded in Italy – Details in THIS article