Despite Increased Air Traffic, Flight Delays Drop by 80 Percent

Traffic in Hungary’s airspace increased by more than seven percent in the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period last year, HungaroControl revealed in its latest report. Despite this significant growth, 80 percent fewer delays were recorded than in 2024, the air traffic control company announced.

Thanks to the significant drop in delays, the Hungarian air navigation service has become one of the most punctual service providers in Europe, the HungaroControl’s statement highlighted.

By September 30, the company’s air traffic controllers had managed 950,926 aircraft in Hungarian airspace — 7.3 percent more than a year earlier. The busiest month was August, with 137,374 aircraft.

Forecasts suggest that total annual traffic could reach between 1.2 and 1.3 million flights.

Transit flights accounted for 85 percent of all traffic. Between the second half of July and mid-September, area controllers (ACC) handled over 4,000 aircraft movements per day. The peak day was July 26, when a record 4,356 aircraft passed through Hungarian airspace.

Traffic at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport also showed double-digit growth, breaking a 19-year record: on August 3, approach controllers and tower staff managed the movements of 476 arriving and departing flights.

The most important result — one passengers could directly notice — was the drastic reduction in flight delays. Last year, the average delay per handled flight exceeded three minutes. This year it dropped to 0.6 minutes.

In August, despite record traffic, delays were only one-tenth of those recorded the previous year. The vast majority of delays (over 60 percent) were caused by adverse weather conditions; summer thunderstorms occasionally made it necessary to impose airspace restrictions, the report added.

“HungaroControl has proven that safely managing record air traffic and significantly reducing delays are not mutually exclusive, but rather mutually reinforcing goals,” said CEO Ferenc Turi, as quoted in the statement. He added that HungaroControl had increased the number of controllers by nearly 10 percent. This expanded capacity allowed the company to operate up to nine sectors simultaneously, compared with six last year, enabling the handling of more flights. The capacity expansion was achieved mainly through in-house training and the recruitment of foreign controllers, while several Hungarian professionals were also persuaded to return thanks to a long-term wage agreement with trade unions valid until 2029.

“Professional innovation, technological development, and process optimization have all contributed to this growth in capacity. During the peak period, meteorologists from HungaroMet also supported HungaroControl’s work and contributed to this success,” emphasized the CEO.

Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Szigetváry Zsolt

The post Despite Increased Air Traffic, Flight Delays Drop by 80 Percent appeared first on Hungary Today.

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