There has been a failure of the Enhanced Tactical Flow Management System. Contingency procedures are being put in place which will have the effect of reducing the capacity of the European network by approximately 10%. Further information will be provided as soon as possible.
— EUROCONTROL (@eurocontrol) April 3, 2018
One in 10 flights likely to be grounded after computer failure at Brussels hub
Half a million airline passengers across Europe face delays and cancellations for the rest of the day as a result of a systems failure at the Eurocontrol centre in Brussels.
Eurocontrol, which coordinates air traffic for 41 member states, tweeted: “There has been a failure of the Enhanced Tactical Flow Management System [ETFMS].
“Contingency procedures are being put in place which will have the effect of reducing the capacity of the European network by approximately 10 per cent.
The average daily traffic in April in Eurocontrol’s 41 member states is almost 30,000 flights, which potentially means that 3,000 flights — and up to half a million passengers — could face disruption.
The system is designed to match demand from airlines with capacity in the crowded skies above Europe. When airlines file flight plans, ETFMS calculates a pathway according to data on available airspace and allocates slots accordingly. The relevant national air-traffic providers are notified, reducing the complexity of communication.
Eurocontrol says: “It is a key enabler of the air traffic flow and capacity management services.”
Pilots and air-traffic controllers across Europe were told: “All attempts to reactivate ETFMS proved unsuccessful.”
Half of European flights face delays after computer failure – Eurocontrol
Eurocontrol, which runs the EU’s air traffic control system, says the breakdown would reduce capacity in the busy skies above Europe by 10 percent
Eurocontrol said on Twitter: “There has been a failure of the Enhanced Tactical Flow Management System (ETFMS).
ETFMS is central to regulating air traffic flow around Europe. When airlines file flight plans, ETFMS calculates a pathway according to data on available airspace and allocates slots to fly.
AC