Revealed: UK airports with worst delays
Delays at the UK’s 10 busiest airports increased last year when more than a fifth of all flights were late.
Figures released this morning by the Civil Aviation Authority show that in the past 12 months, 79% of all scheduled flights at the 10 main airports were on time, down one percentage point on 2013, and the percentage of charter flights on time fell four percentage points to 74%.
Gatwick had the lowest number of scheduled flights on time, with 26% delayed, and also had the longest average delay of 15 minutes.
London City had the highest punctuality with 88% of flights on-time, and also the shortest average delay of seven minutes.
Heathrow, Manchester and Newcastle all saw improvements in on-time performance, while the other seven airports all saw punctuality drop, with the biggest fall at Luton, down five percentage points.
Across all scheduled flights, the average delay last year was 12 minutes, which was the same as 2013. Across all charter flights, the average delay was 18 minutes, up from 17 minutes the previous year.
CAA group director for regulatory policy Iain Osborne said: "Arriving on time matters to passengers and our work helps ensure consumers have the best data and information to make better and more informed choices.
"In the last five years punctuality has been improving and it is therefore disappointing to see a small dip in performance in the last year.
"Notwithstanding this, the industry has had to deal with some unseasonably poor weather and a number of overseas air traffic control strikes, both beyond their control. "With this in mind we expect the industry to continue to build on the overall positive trajectory and to do all they can to improve punctuality performance further."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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 
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
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