28 March 2023: EUROCONTROL has released the 2024 edition of its hands-on guide for flight dispatchers, pilots, air traffic controllers, flow management positions and airports to help them best prepare for increased air traffic levels during summer 2024.

Air traffic in Europe this summer is expected to be up to 5-7 per cent above the traffic levels of 2023 – bringing daily traffic peaks in 2024 to nearly that of 2019, and for several parts of the Network, traffic levels are expected to be the busiest ever.

ERA member airlines experienced an unprecedented increase in ATM delays last summer, up nearly 40 per cent compared to 2022. EUROCONTROL’s All Together Now 2024 provides a clear set of hints and tips grouped by operational stakeholder category on the best practices that operational staff should follow to support the Network Manager Operations Centre in ensuring efficient operations and keeping delays to a minimum.

EUROCONTROL is working with all operational stakeholders to focus on a set of priorities to minimise disruption. These include:

• prioritising first rotation to allow for on time departure;
• disciplined flight plan execution to ensure predictability;
• ANSPs delivering agreed capacities; and
• realistic scheduling, including turnaround times.

A key priority this summer relates the operational impacts that arise due to the weather disruption. With delays directly attributed to weather (en route and airport) at an all-time high, cross-border weather management and meteorological services collaboration is desperately needed.

Europe’s adverse weather management is still in its infancy, particularly when compared to the US where protocols and processes are mature, robust and have the buy-in of most operators. The challenges in Europe are of course different, with State requirements not always aligned. However, an increased focus in this area is welcomed and whilst the processes being put in place can never fully prevent the impact of bad weather, it can mitigate its impact through improved planning, resulting in better Network stability and fewer last-minute regulations.

To access the All Together Now 2024 guidelines, please click here [1].