Tui Airways has been identified as one of the least punctual airlines operating from UK airports, according to an analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data by the Press Association. The leisure carrier's departures from UK airports averaged 20 minutes and 24 seconds behind schedule in 2025.
Worst Route and Industry Context
The least punctual Tui route with at least 100 flights was from Birmingham to the Greek island of Zante, which experienced an average delay of 46 minutes. Tui Airways is owned by Tui Group, which also operates the UK's second largest package holiday company. Many of its holiday customers use the airline, which serves more than 20 UK airports.
Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, described the delays as “unacceptable” and noted that passengers “continue to face unreliable service” amid rising fares. He added: “Airlines must do more to support travellers during delays, including clearly communicating their rights and eligibility for compensation. It’s worth putting in a claim with your airline if you think it’s responsible – and escalating the complaint if it refuses to pay.”
Punctuality Rankings and Methodology
The punctuality analysis included all scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports by the 34 airlines that operated more than 2,500 such flights in 2025. Cancelled flights were not counted. Tui Airways ranked fifth worst overall. Air India had the poorest record for the second consecutive year, with an average delay of 36 minutes and 36 seconds. It was followed by Blue Islands (25 minutes and 12 seconds) – a regional airline based in the Channel Islands that collapsed in November 2025 – TAP Air Portugal (23 minutes) and Saudia (21 minutes and 18 seconds).
At the other end of the scale, Scandinavian Airlines recorded the best performance, with UK departures delayed by an average of just eight minutes, ahead of Virgin Atlantic (11 minutes). The average delay across all airlines in the analysis was 14 minutes and 48 seconds, a notable improvement from 18 minutes and 18 seconds in 2024.
Airlines' Responses and Passenger Rights
Aage Dunhaupt, Tui Group’s director of communications, acknowledged the importance of punctuality: “We fully understand that for holidaymakers, every minute counts. Minimising delays remains a top priority, and our teams work continuously to improve operational performance across our network.” He explained that Tui makes “a conscious choice” to operate flights “wherever possible, even if they are delayed, rather than cancelling them”, ensuring passengers reach their destination “rather than facing the risk of extended disruption”. 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.”
CAA director Tim Johnson said long delays “can cause significant disruption and inconvenience for passengers”. He emphasised: “We recognise the impact this can have, which is why there are rules in place to protect passengers. Airlines are expected to minimise the impact of delays where possible, by providing timely information and upholding passengers’ rights during disruption.”
Passengers on flights from the UK that are delayed may be entitled to assistance, including reasonable food and drink, means of communication, and overnight accommodation if needed. Depending on the route distance and delay length, passengers may also claim compensation of up to £520 from the airline if the delay is within the airline's control, such as a mechanical fault or crew sickness.
A spokesperson for Airlines UK, a trade body for UK-registered carriers, defended the industry: “The vast majority of UK airline flights depart on time and CAA data shows customer satisfaction levels are at an all-time high. Most delays are the result of issues that are entirely outside airline control, such as adverse weather, forced reductions in the number of planes that are 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.”
