Half of all flights within Europe are at risk of being delayed due to a computer error, announces Eurocontrol, the Brussels-based organization that controls airspace over parts of Europe.

”"Yesterday, 29,500 flights are expected in European air traffic. An estimated half of these could experience some delays as a result of the system outage," Eurocontrol said in a statement.

So far, no international flights between Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway have been affected by the computer error at Eurocontrol in Brussels, Åsa Öhman at Swedavia's press service tells TT.

The error affects Eurocontrol's slot management system for managing arrivals and departures at major European airports. A slot is an allocated time for take-off and landing.

”Of course there will be major repercussions when it becomes a common problem at so many airports,” says Åsa Öhman.

Eurocontrol also writes that the problem has been identified and that work is underway to get the system working normally again, but that it is unlikely to be complete until "late tonight.".

Source: TT