Travellers to Spain, Portugal and Italy this summer could be facing delays due to a new air traffic control system being installed in France.
Holidays can get hectic with unexpected waits, queues and cancellations, but on the bright side, fliers have been alerted ahead of this inconvenience.
Aviation experts report this will impact flights from the UK to Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Dirk Mahns of German air navigation service provider DFS issued the warning, claiming delays are likely to be inevitable.
Passengers have been warned to expect “annoying” delays as a large proportion of air traffic is directed over Germany for several months, Wales Online reported.
(Image: Getty Images)
The new system means airlines will have to use alternative routes due to strict safety protocols while the system is introduced.
Mahns said: “Our aim is to keep these delays to a minimum. We are in close contact with our European partners in this endeavour.
“No country can deal with the current traffic situation on its own; it can only be done together.”
Analysts agree holiday flights could be affected but said there was no risk to safety.
Aviation specialist John Strickland, director of JLS Consulting, said: “There could be annoying delays, half an hour or so, but delays seem to be a likely impact of traffic being routed out of French airspace into German or Polish airspace.
“This will affect flights out of the UK going down to places like Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, some parts of Italy, and so on.
“This is where there could be delays caused. But there is no safety risk.”
The new air traffic control system is being installed in Reims, northern France.
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