New data has revealed the UK's worst major airport for flight delays in the first half of 2025, and the dubious honour goes to Manchester Airport.
The Punctuality League Table
Analysis of Civil Aviation Authority data by passenger rights firm AirAdvisor shows that just 71.5% of flights departed on time from Manchester Airport between January and June. This performance is notably worse than the national average, where 77% of flights from all UK airports were punctual during the same period.
Manchester, the UK's third-busiest airport by passenger numbers, was closely followed by Birmingham International, where 72.5% of flights were on time. London Stansted and Bournemouth shared the next spot, both recording a 73.5% punctuality rate.
The UK's top 10 worst major airports for delays in 2025 are:
- Manchester - 71.5% flights on time
- Birmingham International - 72.5%
- Stansted and Bournemouth - 73.5%
- Bristol - 74.5%
- Teeside - 75%
- Newcastle, Gatwick and Jersey - 75.5%
- Exeter - 76%
- Edinburgh - 76.5%
- Southampton - 76.5%
- Cardiff - 77.5%
An Improving National Picture
Despite Manchester's poor performance, experts note that flight punctuality across the UK is showing significant improvement. Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, commented: 'The picture in terms of flight delays is definitely improving across the UK.'
Only 72.5% of UK flights were on time during the first six months of 2024, meaning this year's national average of 77% represents a marked improvement. Radchenko explained that post-pandemic delays reached record highs due to staff shortages and supply chain issues combined with surging demand.
He added: 'Airlines, in particular, were caught between a rock and a hard place, because UK government legislation means that passengers can claim compensation if their flight is delayed due to a situation that an airline could have avoided.'
Border Technology Trial at Manchester
Interestingly, this news comes as Manchester Airport has been trialling innovative border control technology. The hub became the first to use new facial recognition systems for British passport holders.
Phil Douglas, Border Force director-general, told The Times the trial had been successful, suggesting the technology 'considerably reduced' processing times. He explained: 'So people approach the e-gate, it recognises them [as] already on our database, and they're checked through.'
The new contactless gates are designed to increase processing speed and bring the UK to the same standard as other countries already using similar technology, like Dubai. Douglas noted: 'The border has really changed over the last few years and that work is picking up pace. Public expectations have changed and technology has changed.'
While airports and airlines continue working to minimise disruptions, Manchester's current delay statistics highlight ongoing challenges at one of Britain's key transport hubs.
