TUI Airways, a carrier beloved by British holidaymakers for its package holidays, has been branded one of the worst airlines for punctuality in the UK, according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data. The budget carriers easyJet and Ryanair, often criticised for other issues, did not feature among the worst performers for timekeeping.
TUI's Punctuality Record
The CAA data reveals that TUI Airways experienced an average delay of 20 minutes and 24 seconds last year, placing it fifth on the list of the five worst airlines for UK flight delays. One particular route was singled out as the least punctual of all: Birmingham to the Greek party island of Zante, with an average hold-up of 46 minutes. TUI Airways operates out of more than 20 UK airports and is owned by TUI Group.
Industry Context and Response
Aage Dunhaupt from TUI Group told the Mail that "minimising delays remains a top priority," noting that TUI Airways runs flights "wherever possible, even if they are delayed, rather than cancelling them." He added: "If we were to follow broader industry practices of cancelling flights more readily, our punctuality ranking would improve significantly. However, this would come at the expense of our customers."
Air India was ranked the worst performer for the second year running, with average delays exceeding 36 minutes. Scandinavian Airlines topped the table as the most punctual, averaging just eight minutes. Blue Islands, which ceased trading at the end of last year, took second spot for poorest performance, followed by TAP Air Portugal and Saudia.
Positive Trends and Industry View
On a positive note, average delays across UK airlines have fallen from 18 minutes and 18 seconds in 2024 to 14 minutes and 48 seconds. A spokesperson for trade body Airlines UK told ITV: "The vast majority of UK airline flights depart on time and CAA data shows customer satisfaction levels are at an all-time high." They added that most delays result from issues outside airline control, such as adverse weather, forced reductions in the number of planes able to land and take off each hour, and industrial action. "When these delays do occur, airlines work hard to support customers and get them where they need to be as quickly as possible," the spokesperson said.
