Ireland Airspace Closures Highlight Worsening ATC Training Pipeline Crisis

Runway closures at Dublin and Cork airports caused by air traffic controller staffing shortages have underscored the severity of aviation training pipeline failures now affecting operational capacity across multiple European nations.

According to reporting by Irish state broadcaster RTÉ, AirNav Ireland temporarily restricted flights at Cork Airport between midnight and 7am on 11 February due to short-notice sick leave, forcing diversions and delays. Dublin Airport has experienced intermittent airspace closures "over a number of weeks," including two 30-minute periods at 2am and 4am on 14 February.

The disruption stems from what Fórsa, the union representing Irish air traffic controllers, described as "very high global demand" creating capacity challenges and an over-reliance on overtime to cover staffing gaps. Talks between Fórsa and AirNav Ireland are ongoing under Ireland's Internal Dispute Resolution Board.

Eoghan Corry, editor of Travel Extra, told RTÉ that Europe faces approximately 20% ATC shortage heading into summer 2026. 

"The recruitment of ATCs did not phase up to the right level post-pandemic and has not accelerated as it should have across Europe," Corry stated. He warned that shortages across France and Germany are likely to cause significant disruption during peak holiday periods in July and August.

Ireland's position handling transatlantic traffic between Europe and North America makes ATC capacity particularly critical. As Corry noted: "We are on the major gateway of the busiest transcontinental routes in the world."

The Ireland disruption follows years of industry warnings about training pipeline capacity across aviation disciplines.

An IATA report that was published this month said that Air Traffic Flow Management delays in Europe have grown sharply over the past decade, far outpacing traffic growth.

The report says that delays "have cost airlines and passengers an estimated 17.5 billion Euro since 2015 with over 70% of those delays linked to capacity shortages and staffing issues."

While ATC training programmes differ structurally from pilot, cabin crew, and maintenance pathways, the underlying challenge remains consistent: training throughput has failed to match post-pandemic operational recovery and long-term growth projections.

The issue extends beyond instructor availability or simulator capacity. ATC training requires extended lead times, typically 18-24 months from selection to operational certification, meaning current shortages reflect recruitment and training decisions made in 2023-2024.

WATS 2026, taking place in Orlando this May 5-7th, will address training pipeline challenges across its four conference streams. The Ab Initio Training Conference will examine recruitment, selection, and progression frameworks, while sessions on instructor standardisation, CBTA implementation, and technology-enabled training delivery will explore methods for improving training efficiency without compromising safety standards.