Flight delays worsen at UK airports
Flight punctuality fell at all the UK’s 10 largest airports in the third quarter of this year, the second quarter where performance has dipped.
According to the latest figures from the Civil Aviation Authority, punctuality for scheduled flights fell, on average, by five percentage points to 75% across all of the monitored airports in July to September compared to the same three months in 2013.
But the drop was particularly dramatic at some airports.
The percentage of on-time flights at Luton fell 12 percentage points to 71%, Gatwick fell by 11 percentage points to 64% and Stansted fell by nine points to 74%.
The drop was not as severe at London City – four percentage points to 85% – or at Heathrow – less than one percentage point so staying the same at 76%.
On average, scheduled flights were delayed by 14 minutes, an increase of two minutes on 2013.
Meanwhile, the overall on-time performance for charter flights was 71%, a fall of eight percentage points compared with the third quarter of 2013.
The average delay was 18 minutes, which is two minutes more than in the third quarter of 2013.
An ‘on-time’ flight is defined as departing or arriving at a UK airport either early or up to 15 minutes late.
Iain Osborne, group director for regulatory policy at the CAA, said: "Passengers should be able to rely on arriving at their destination in good time, and flight punctuality has steadily improved in recent years.
"The figures for the last two quarters are disappointing and it is now for the industry to do all they can to improve punctuality performance.
"Notwithstanding this, we are aware of several mitigating factors which have recently affected flight punctuality including airline strikes in France and Germany and several periods of poor and foggy weather."
Flights to and from Pisa achieved the lowest on-time performance with 49.9%.
Flights to and from Orlando were hit by the highest average delay of 31.9 minutes.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026