TUI, Wizz Air, Jet2, Ryanair Among Worst Airlines for UK Delays in 2025

TUI Airways has been ranked among the worst airlines for flight punctuality in the UK, with its Birmingham to Zante route recording an average delay of 46 minutes in 2025, according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data analysed by the Press Association.

Overall Punctuality Rankings

The leisure carrier's departures from UK airports ran an average of 20 minutes and 24 seconds behind schedule in 2025, placing it fifth in the rankings for the worst airlines for punctuality. The study considered all scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports across 34 airlines that operated more than 2,500 such flights last year, excluding cancellations.

Air India recorded the poorest performance for the second consecutive year, with an average delay of 36 minutes and 36 seconds. Other poorly performing airlines include Blue Islands (25 minutes 12 seconds), TAP Air Portugal (23 minutes), and Saudia (21 minutes 18 seconds).

—

Wide Pickt banner — collaborative shopping lists app for Telegram, phone mockup with grocery list

Major UK Airlines' Performance

Among major airlines operating in the UK, Jet2.com, Wizz Air, and Ryanair had similar results, ranking 13th, 14th, and 15th respectively. Jet2 averaged 16 minutes 36 seconds delay, Wizz Air 16 minutes 12 seconds, and Ryanair 15 minutes 48 seconds. The average delay across all airlines was 14 minutes 48 seconds, an improvement from 18 minutes 18 seconds in 2024.

TUI's Response

Aage Dunhaupt, TUI Group's director of communications, said: "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."

Mr Dunhaupt noted that the airline 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 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."

Passenger Rights and Industry View

CAA director Tim Johnson said long delays "can cause significant disruption and inconvenience for passengers". He added: "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 departing from the UK that are delayed are entitled to support including food, drink, communication access, and overnight accommodation. They may also claim compensation of up to £520 if the delay is within the airline's control, such as technical faults or pilot illness.

A spokesperson for Airlines UK, a trade body representing UK-registered carriers, said: "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."