Majority of delays at Ronaldsway are not due to ATC issues

Only 34 of 861 delays at airport due to air traffic closures

Less than four percent of flight delays at Ronaldsway Airport, between January and July, were due to air traffic control breaks.

The figure has been revealed as part of a response to a Tynwald written question from Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall.

Douglas North MHK David Ashford asked how many incoming flights were delayed or cancelled, each week, over the past three months due to air traffic control breaks in provision or the early closure of the airport.

The published data shows of the 861 total delays at Ronaldsway in the period only 34 were due to air traffic control closures.

The most affected month was April which was impacted by those breaks seven times - out of a total 141 delays seen that month.

Mr Crookall says calculating the delays attributable directly to ATC, or other Isle of Man Airport-related factors, is 'difficult and unreliable'.

He said: "Data relating to delays and cancellations are not collected directly by the airport, but reported to a third party by the airlines as these delays and cancellations may occur elsewhere in the network before they reach the Isle of Man.

"This makes calculating the delays attributable directly to Isle of Man ATC or other Isle of Man Airport-related factors difficult and unreliable. 

"However airline traffic running to schedule will very rarely be impacted directly by the two morning closures scheduled to facilitate regulated ATC breaks. 

"When airline traffic is running off schedule, any delays are likely to be exacerbated."

He added: "Typically airports do not record data to do with arrivals as departures are seen to be more within an airport’s control. However it would be fair to assume that the data can be extrapolated between the two."

With regards to the airport's closing time, in June, July and August 2024, the aerodrome has not closed before its published closure time and has in fact extended beyond this time on 75 days out of 92.

The aerodrome is scheduled to close at 8.45pm.

The average closing time was 9.16pm - meaning an average extension of 31 minutes with the airport closing most often - that's 35 times - in the period between 9 and 9.30pm. 

Minister Crookall says the airport regularly receives requests from operators and airlines to extend beyond 8.45pm most often due to operational issues or delays picked up elsewhere in the network during the day. 

He added that airport staffing is based on the published closing time and whilst extensions can most often be accommodated, on overtime, those occasions when this is not possible or when an extension is limited are communicated in advance to operators and airlines.

You can find the written answer in full HERE.