Bing-bong, your flight has probably been delayed

It’s not just you. Air travel really is getting worse. Story features chart from Morgan Stanley. European air travel is busiest during summer, with the third quarter representing 30% of passenger miles flown, so it should be no surprise that airport delays are seasonal. The challenges of running at full capacity were compounded last year by air traffic control strikes, unusually stormy weather, and the introduction of unfamiliar flight paths to avoid Ukraine’s no-fly zones. None of these excuses apply for Brat summer ’24, yet punctuality has not improved, say the MS analysts Jamie Rollo et al, citing Eurocontrol data: "June itself saw delays rise to 21 minutes, 27% above June 2019 levels and exceeding 2023 levels. [ . . . ] July looks like delays reached 24 minutes, 38% above 2019. This is consistent with what we have heard from companies after the latest results season - airlines and tour operators are generally reporting strong demand expectations for summer (as seen in passenger volume figures) but that disruption is likely to rise as we head into the busy period." Flight cancellations are a forward indicator of delays as well as an inconvenience. Story has more.<br/>