Wizz Air has come top in a list of worst airlines for UK flight delays in 2023, with Turkish Airlines coming second and TUI Airlines third.
The list was compiled by the PA news agency using Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) analysis of scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports by airlines operating more than 2,500 flights.
Wizz Air came top for the third year running in the list, which does not take into account cancelled flights.
The average delay across all airlines was 20 minutes and 42 seconds, down from 23 minutes in 2022. Wizz Air averaged delays of 31 minutes and 36 seconds. Turkish Airlines averaged delays of 28 minutes and 36 seconds and TUI Airlines averaged delays of 28 minutes and 12 seconds.
British Airways was 10th on the list, with average delays of 21 minutes and 36 seconds, followed by easyJet at number 11, with average delays of 21 minutes and 30 seconds.
Jet2.com’s average delay was 17 minutes and 48 seconds, putting it in joint 22nd place and ranking it as the most punctual short-haul airline.
Emerald Airlines recorded the best performance in 2023, with an average delay 13 minutes and six seconds. Virgin Atlantic recorded the second-best performance, at 13 minutes and 42 seconds.
Wizz Air said it had made ‘significant improvements’ after experiencing ‘extraordinary operating challenges’ in 2022, but acknowledged there was ‘still work to be done’.
Below is the full list showing UK flight punctuality for 2023, starting from the longest average delay per departing flight:
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 6 seconds)
6 Air Portugal (23 minutes and 48 seconds)
7 Vueling Airlines (23 minutes and 6 seconds)
8 Swiss Airlines (22 minutes and 48 seconds)
9 Air Canada (22 minutes and 6 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 6 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 6seconds)
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 6 seconds)