UK airports with longest flight delays revealed from Birmingham to Luton - See the worst

Birmingham Airport was the worst in the UK for flight delays, averaging at 12 minutes and 24 seconds late per flight,  according to PA news agency's analysis of Civil Aviation Authority data. 

The report comes as popular airlines like British Airways and easyJet have cancelled thousands of flights in recent weeks.

Here is the full breakdown of the UK airports with the worst delays last year and on average how long Brits were left waiting to jet off. 

Worst airports in the UK for flight delays revealed

Longest average delay for departures at UK airports in 2021. Credit: PA Graphics

The below list sees UK airports ranked from the longest average delay per flight to the shortest with the average flight delay laid out in brackets.

It is important to note that the ranking considers all scheduled and chartered departures but cancelled flights are not included.

1. Birmingham (12 minutes and 24 seconds)

2. Southampton (12 minutes)

3. Heathrow (11 minutes and 48 seconds)

4. Exeter (11 minutes and 12 seconds)

5. Aberdeen (10 minutes and 36 seconds)

6. Doncaster Sheffield (10 minutes and 18 seconds)

7. Luton (nine minutes and 42 seconds)

8. Manchester (nine minutes and 30 seconds)

9. Glasgow (eight minutes and 30 seconds)

10. Leeds Bradford (seven minutes and 42 seconds)

11. Newcastle (seven minutes and 24 seconds)

12. Bournemouth (seven minutes and 18 seconds)

13. Edinburgh (seven minutes and 12 seconds)

14. Liverpool (John Lennon) (seven minutes and six seconds)

15. Cardiff (six minutes and 48 seconds)

16. London City (six minutes and 12 seconds)

17. Bristol (six minutes and six seconds)

18. Stansted (six minutes)

19. East Midlands International (six minutes)

20. Gatwick (five minutes and 54 seconds)

21. Belfast City (George Best) (four minutes and 54 seconds)

22. Teesside International (four minutes and 48 seconds)

23. Belfast International (four minutes and 30 seconds)

24. Southend (two minutes and 48 seconds)

Birmingham is the UK’s seventh busiest airport and it serves long-haul destinations to popular tourist spots like Dubai, the US, the Caribbean and Mexico as well as more than 100 shorter routes.

The airport also hosts bases for airlines such as Jet2.com, Ryanair and Tui Airways.

Birmingham Airport has stressed that many of the delayed departures saw time made up in the air following a huge reduction in flights during the coronavirus pandemic.

A person holding luggage and their ticket. Credit: Canva

A spokesman said: “Last year was a dark time for aviation when Birmingham Airport was reduced to just 25% of normal resource and capacity due to Covid.

“Due to the unique operating environment caused by massive air traffic reductions, the usual pressures did not exist, so flights taking off late were able to catch up en route.”

Overall, punctuality across all UK airports last year was better than before the pandemic, due to the introduction of Covid travel restrictions leading to a drop in flights.

READ MORE: How to tell if my easyJet flight is cancelled and how to get a refund?

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Jo Rhodes, an expert for consumer magazine Which? Travel, said 2022 “has been a different story entirely” as the sector is struggling to cope with the spike in passenger numbers.

She went on: “Holidaymakers have endured wide-scale flight cancellations as well as unacceptably long queues at check-in, bag drop and airport security.

A man looking at a plane taking off as he waits in the airport. Credit: Canva

“The Government must take action to restore consumer confidence in travel.

“That should involve stronger powers for the CAA, including the ability to fine airlines directly when they break the law.

“Ministers should also drop their ill-conceived plans to slash compensation rates for delayed or cancelled domestic flights.”

READ MORE: TUI, easyJet, Ryanair, Virgin, Emirates: cancellation policy of airlines

READ MORE: What to do if your flight is delayed by 1, 3, 6 or 12 hours?

Last month, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps launched a 22-point plan to tackle flight disruption. 

The plan encourages airlines to make sure their schedules are “deliverable”, and also includes an amnesty on airport slot rules and permitting new aviation workers to begin training before passing security checks.

The Government is also analysing feedback after consulting on reforms such as increasing the CAA’s enforcement powers and amending compensation rules for domestic flights.