Yahoo News Airline flying from Birmingham named UK's worst for flight delays
An airline operating from Birmingham has been named Britain's worst for flight delays. Wizz Air's departures from UK airports were on average 31 minutes and 36 seconds late in 2023, based on an analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data by the Press Association news agency.
That was nearly a third less than in 2022, but it still meant Wizz Air had the poorest punctuality record for UK flights for three years running. Wizz Air admitted there was "still work to be done" despite making "significant improvements".
Turkish Airlines had the second-worst punctuality last year, with an average delay of 28 minutes and 36 seconds. They were followed by Tui, at 28 minutes and 24 seconds, Air India, at 28 minutes and 12 seconds, and Turkish budget airline Pegasus Airlines, at 25 minutes and six seconds.
Consumer group Which? criticised the "outrageous position" of passengers paying record air fares for "unreliable services". Emerald Airlines, an Irish carrier, had the best performance last year with an average delay of 13 minutes and six seconds, with Virgin Atlantic second, at 13 minutes and 42 seconds.
The analysis considered all scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports by airlines operating more than 2,500 flights. Cancelled flights were not included. The average delay for all those flights was 20 minutes and 42 seconds, down from 23 minutes in 2022.
Wizz Air, which operates from UK airports including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Gatwick, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Luton, carried a record 62 million passengers in the year to March, despite its poor punctuality record. That was an increase of more than a fifth on the previous year's total of 51.1 million.
And the airline recorded a pre-tax profit of 341.1 million euros, or £290.4 million, as its revenue from ticket sales per available seat rose by 11.2 per cent year-on-year, which was similar to fare rises across the airline sector. Aviation consultant John Strickland said Wizz Air had "many unhappy customers" in 2022 due to struggles with punctuality, claiming the airline had been "over ambitious" with the number of flights it could reliably operate post-Covid travel restrictions.
He acknowledged the airline's efforts to improve, such as replanning rosters and having more standby aircraft available, but warned "the fruits of that will not be seen immediately". Asked how the airline managed to boost passenger numbers despite the delays, Mr Strickland pointed to factors like competitive pricing and having the most capacity on many routes serving central and eastern Europe.
Rory Boland, Which? Travel editor, said: "These latest delay figures will come as no surprise to travellers, who find themselves in the outrageous position of paying record amounts for air fares and in return receiving unreliable services. Wizz Air recently took the bottom spot in our annual airline satisfaction survey and it's clear its passengers are still having a torrid time."
He called for immediate action from airlines, saying: "It's time for airlines to get their act together and start delivering the service their customers are paying for including ensuring they're investing properly in their customer service teams. When delays and cancellations occur, there can be no justification for airlines failing to meet their legal obligations including promptly refunding or rerouting customers, and ensuring they are offered meals and accommodation as required."
A damning report by Which? in February placed Wizz Air bottom for passenger satisfaction, with the airline scoring just one star for customer service and seat comfort. A Wizz Air spokeswoman said: "In 2022, like all airlines in Europe, Wizz Air experienced extraordinary operating challenges driven mostly by the external environment.
"Since then, we have invested more than £90 million to stabilise operations, reduce the number of delays and provide a better experience for customers. While we saw significant improvements in 2023, there was still work to be done.
"Helping our customers reach their destination is our number one priority and we will continue to invest in our service to ensure they get there on time."
She said the airline's current performance ranked "among the strongest in the entire industry", with a punctuality record that was "the highest among our direct competitors" and "the best flight completion rate in the whole of Europe".
In January, the CAA confirmed enforcement action against Wizz Air had resulted in the airline compensating UK-based passengers with a total of £1.2 million. It followed a reassessment of previously-rejected financial claims, covering costs for alternative flights, meals, and accommodation during disruptions.
Dale Keller, chief executive of the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK, which represents airlines operating in the country, said 2023 was "an extremely challenging year, particularly over the summer". He said many delays were due to factors beyond the airlines' control, including air traffic control issues and strikes in France, as well as the National Air Traffic Services meltdown on August 28 that led to widespread groundings at UK airports.
He said airlines felt their operations were "in a pretty good place" now, and punctuality had "continued to exponentially improve" throughout the year.
