With the sun finally showing up and summer holidays around the corner, June is often when airports across Europe begin to fill with eager travellers. And according to experts, a perfect storm of overloaded airspace, staffing constraints, and swelling passenger numbers could make this summer one of the most chaotic yet for UK flyers.
Behind the scenes, Europe’s aviation network is already under pressure weeks earlier than usual. According to a new analysis by AirAdvisor, an air passenger rights company, flight volumes are on track to surge past 36,000 daily movements by mid-June. The organisation has reviewed EUROCONTROL’s Network Operations Plan (covering May to July) to identify when and where flight delays are most likely to strike, and the results are a wake-up call for anyone still finalising their summer travel plans.
The worst dates to fly this summer:
Friday 21 June
This date falls within the first wave of European school holidays, and AirAdvisor notes it as a high-risk day for late departures, missed connections, and cancellations.
The warn that “London airspace is clearly a pressure point,” noting Heathrow and Gatwick’s sub-60% departure punctuality even before the summer rush begins.
Friday 28 June
The official start of the peak summer schedule, which sees airlines ramp up operations to meet demand, meaning both runways and staffing resources will be stretched.
The report states that London Airport Consultative Committee (ACC) is flagged for persistent overload, and it will hit “critical saturation” in the coming weeks.
Monday mornings (especially 7–11 AM)
Although not a single calendar date, this weekly window is especially hazardous for business travellers. Early morning short-haul flights from Heathrow to Europe are often tightly scheduled, but even minor hold-ups can derail midday connections.
“Monday morning schedules are built around high volumes of short-haul business travel, but London ACC overload means early disruptions will cause missed mid-day connections,” said the experts, recommending longer layovers or flying direct.
While Fridays and Monday mornings are best avoided, not all hope is lost. If you’ve yet to book, consider aiming for a midweek departure.
“Tuesdays and Wednesdays will offer the best performance,” the analysis confirmed. “They have the lowest delay minutes, the lowest airborne congestion, and fewer cancellations.”
In an attempt to relieve London’s airspace, EUROCONTROL has hinted at plans to redistribute flights to less congested airports. That means more services out of Manchester, Birmingham, and Bristol – all of which are tipped to offer stronger on-time performance as summer peaks.
Travellers are advised to plan now, pad their schedules, and if possible, pick quieter travel days. As the report makes clear: “Even minor delays could snowball into network-wide disruptions.”