Bankruptcies, staffing problems and technical failures have affected tens of thousands of passengers and have caused tumult in the European airline industry in recent months, the New York Times reported yesterday. The problems fall into two categories: bad luck, and the result of the crowded nature of the European market. With flights sometimes as cheap as $15, an array of low-cost airlines has transformed travel in Europe. Travelers’ expectations of low prices have pushed the more traditional carriers to offer budget options, under which passengers pay for extras like food and checked luggage that previously would have been included. “Passengers have had a really good run for a long time with incredibly cheap tickets,” said Andrew Charlton, managing director of Aviation Advocacy, a consultancy. But, he added, “Europe’s got too many airlines.” The shakeout, along with other issues, has made for some tough travel in Europe. More than 100,000 passengers were stranded when Monarch collapsed into bankruptcy this month, forcing the British government to charter planes to get its citizens home. Air Berlin, another low-cost airline, filed for insolvency in August. Alitalia, the Italian flag carrier, filed for bankruptcy in May. Ryanair had to cancel thousands of flights in recent weeks because of staffing problems, including strikes in France that forced Ryanair and other airlines to cancel flights this week. The falling away of poorly performing airlines can be a positive: weeding out weaker, inefficient carriers, and portending much-needed consolidation. The U.S. has already been through a similar shake-up through mergers and takeovers; now, the six largest airline groups in the U.S. make up about 80 percent of flights in and out of the country. By contrast, the six largest in Europe have less than 50 percent of seats.
