New data from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has revealed which UK airports experience the longest flight delays, with Manchester Airport ranking as the worst in the nation. Departures from Manchester were an average of 19 minutes and 30 seconds behind schedule in 2025, according to analysis by the Press Association.
Manchester Airport Tops Delay Rankings
Despite an improvement from previous years, Manchester Airport still recorded longer delays than any other UK airport. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, warned that passengers cannot book flights from Manchester "with any real confidence" due to its consistent underperformance. He noted that the airport has ranked last in Which?'s airport survey for four consecutive years.
Manchester is England's third busiest airport and the UK's only two-runway airport besides Heathrow, handling 32 million passengers last year. Its ongoing revamp of Terminal 3 and a recently completed £1.3 billion transformation, which modernised and doubled the size of Terminal 2, aim to improve the passenger experience.
A spokesperson for Manchester Airport attributed delays to factors outside its control, including industrial action affecting air traffic control (ATC) in Europe and adverse weather. They added that airspace restrictions over conflict zones disproportionately affected airports with extensive long-haul networks like Manchester.
Other Airports with Significant Delays
Birmingham Airport had the second poorest punctuality, with an average delay of 18 minutes and 42 seconds. Bournemouth Airport ranked third with a delay of 17 minutes and 18 seconds. A Bournemouth Airport spokesperson stated that delays are outside its control in most cases and highlighted its high passenger satisfaction ratings.
At the other end of the spectrum, Liverpool John Lennon Airport recorded the most punctual flights, with an average delay of just nine minutes and 24 seconds. The overall average delay for UK departures in 2025 was 14 minutes and 54 seconds, down from 18 minutes and 24 seconds in 2024.
Full List of UK Airport Delays
The analysis included scheduled and chartered departures from 23 commercial UK airports with at least 1,000 outbound flights last year. Cancellations were not included. The full breakdown of average delays is as follows:
- Manchester: 19 minutes 30 seconds
- Birmingham: 18 minutes 42 seconds
- Bournemouth: 17 minutes 18 seconds
- Southampton: 16 minutes 36 seconds
- Gatwick: 16 minutes 24 seconds
- Newcastle: 15 minutes 48 seconds
- Leeds Bradford: 15 minutes 36 seconds
- Stansted: 15 minutes 36 seconds
- Edinburgh: 15 minutes 24 seconds
- Teesside: 15 minutes 6 seconds
- Cardiff: 14 minutes 54 seconds
- Exeter: 14 minutes 54 seconds
- Bristol: 14 minutes 36 seconds
- London City: 14 minutes 12 seconds
- Luton: 14 minutes 12 seconds
- Heathrow: 12 minutes 42 seconds
- Belfast International: 12 minutes 24 seconds
- Glasgow: 12 minutes 6 seconds
- Belfast City: 12 minutes 6 seconds
- East Midlands: 11 minutes 48 seconds
- Aberdeen: 10 minutes 54 seconds
- Southend: 10 minutes 24 seconds
- Liverpool John Lennon: 9 minutes 24 seconds
Passenger Compensation for Delays
Depending on the delay duration and flight distance, passengers are entitled to reasonable food and drink, communication means, and overnight accommodation if needed. Airlines often fail to provide these during major disruptions. Passengers may also claim compensation of up to £520 from the airline if the delay is within its control, such as a mechanical fault or pilot sickness. However, ATC issues and bad weather are considered "extraordinary circumstances," exempting airlines from payouts.
Anna Bowles, head of consumer at the CAA, urged the aviation industry to prioritise punctual and reliable journeys, noting that delays have a real impact on passengers. She emphasised that when disruption occurs, the industry must keep passengers informed and provide the care they are entitled to.
A spokesperson for trade body AirportsUK stated that passengers are benefiting from service improvements, with delays in 2025 significantly down on the previous year.
