Wizz Air is the UK’s least punctual airline for the third year running while Virgin among the best
The budget airline's flights from British airports were on average 31 minutes and 36 seconds behind schedule in 2023.
Wizz Air has ranked as the least punctual airline in the UK for the third year running, according to new research.
The budget airline’s flights from British airports were on average 31 minutes and 36 seconds behind schedule in 2023, PA News analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data shows.
The figure marks a near third reduction year-on-year but wasn’t enough to stop Wizz from having the worst punctuality record three years running.
Out of the 33, Virgin Atlantic came in second-best, with a delay of just 13 minutes and 42 seconds on average.
In a statement, Wizz said it experienced “extraordinary operating challenges” driven mostly by the external environment. The Hungarian airline has grappled with ongoing issues affecting its Pratt & Whitney- manufactured engines and flight cancellations caused by conflict in the Middle East.
“Wizz Air’s performance today is among the strongest in the entire industry,” the spokesperson said.
“Our on-time performance for flights departing to and from the UK increased by 16.6 per cent to 71.7 per cent, which is the highest among our direct competitors.”
The CAA’s data ranked 33 major airlines by punctuality.
Turkish Airlines ranked second with departures on average 28 minutes and 36 seconds behind schedule, followed closely by Tui at 28 minutes and 24 seconds.
British Airways finished tenth at 21 minutes and 36 seconds, ahead of Easyjet’s 21 minutes and 30 seconds.
The figures come at the beginning of what is expected to be one of the busiest summers on record for aviation.
Travel demand has soared since 2022 as consumers nourish pent-up desire for holidays following years of pandemic lockdowns.
But disruption in the form of delays and flight cancellations has been a feature of both of the last two summers. UK airports grappled with significant staff shortages when travel demand first returned in 2022, due largely to Covid-era job cuts.
And thousands of flights were cancelled the following year after the UK’s National Air Traffic Service (NATs) suffered a ‘one in 15 million’ system meltdown.
Who are the best and worst offenders? Here’s the list in full.
1. Wizz Air (31 minutes and 36 seconds)
2. Turkish Airlines (28 minutes and 36 seconds)
3. Tui (28 minutes and 24 seconds)
4. Air India (28 minutes and 12 seconds)
5. Pegasus Airlines (25 minutes and six seconds)
6. Air Portugal (23 minutes and 48 seconds)
7. Vueling Airlines (23 minutes and six seconds)
8. Swiss Airlines (22 minutes and 48 seconds)
9. Air Canada (22 minutes and six seconds)
10. British Airways (21 minutes and 36 seconds)
11. EasyJet (21 minutes and 30 seconds)
12. Aurigny Air Services (20 minutes and 48 seconds)
13. Stobart Air (20 minutes and 42 seconds)
14. Ryanair (19 minutes and 54 seconds)
15. Loganair (19 minutes and six seconds)
16. American Airlines (18 minutes and 48 seconds)
17. Eastern Airways (18 minutes and 42 seconds)
18. Air France (18 minutes and 36 seconds)
=19. Emirates (18 minutes and 30 seconds)
=19. Lufthansa (18 minutes and 30 seconds)
21. Eurowings (17 minutes and 54 seconds)
=22. Jet2.com (17 minutes and 48 seconds)
=22. Norwegian Air (17 minutes and 48 seconds)
24. Aer Lingus (17 minutes and 24 seconds)
25. Qatar (16 minutes and 24 seconds)
26. KLM (15 minutes and 54 seconds)
27. United Airlines (15 minutes and 36 seconds)
28. Blue Islands (15 minutes and six seconds)
29. Delta Airlines (15 minutes)
30. Iberia (14 minutes and 24 seconds)
31. SAS (14 minutes)
32. Virgin Atlantic (13 minutes and 42 seconds)
33. Emerald Airlines (13 minutes and six seconds)
