CHRONIC air-traffic delays cost airlines £5.7bn last year, according to the European Regions Airline Association.
Director-general Mike Ambrose blamed European transport ministers for the huge cost of delays as he said they had failed to tackle widespread problems with air-traffic control.
Ambrose attacked governments for protecting individual air-traffic control departments and not improving Europe overall.
From the UK, delays are increasing at the major airports as slots become scarcer and landing and take-off waiting times longer.
Ambrose was also unhappy that air-traffic control providers were proposing to charge airlines more for their services due to the growing congestion. This will inevitably increase fares.
“Charging higher fees during peak periods will simply hit airlines in the pocket with absolutely no benefit to the travelling public,” he said.
Ambrose advocates greater use of new technology to improve the situation and incentives for air-traffic control providers which cut delays.