Official figures have shown that London Gatwick is the worst airport in the UK for flight delays, attributing the ongoing disruption to issues with air traffic control.
The data from the Civil Aviation Authority reveals that in 2024, the average departure delay from Britain’s second-largest airport was over 23 minutes.
This indicates that Gatwick has had the lowest punctuality record in the UK for two consecutive years. In comparison, airports like Birmingham and Manchester have reported average delays of approximately 21 and 20 minutes respectively, according to a PA Media news agency analysis.
Despite this, Gatwick’s average delay in 2024 was a slight improvement on the previous year’s 27-minute delay, thanks to efforts by Nats, the airport’s air traffic control services provider to tackle staff shortages.
Airlines and airports across Europe have faced disruption due to ATC problems. However, staff shortages at Nats directly affected Gatwick’s contracted control tower.
A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport, which is planning to nearly double its capacity with a regulatory second runway, stated that the tower staffing issues have now been resolved.
The spokesperson also mentioned that the airport avoided any significant disruption during the busy Easter weekend, with a strike by ground-handlers in the Unite union having no operational impact. Additionally, the spokesperson noted that the airport continues to experience air traffic control restrictions in other parts of Europe.
According to the spokesperson, in collaboration with airlines, Gatwick has implemented a robust plan to improve on-time performance further in 2025.
The analysis by PA Media also included departures from 22 commercial UK airports with over 1,000 flights in 2024. Belfast City (George Best) airport had the best punctuality, with an average delay of less than 12 minutes per departing flight.
Overall, flight delays in the UK improved last year by cutting the average waiting time by about 10% compared to the previous year, from 20 minutes and 42 seconds in 2023 to 18 minutes and 24 seconds in 2024.
The spokesperson for the AirportsUK trade body acknowledged the ongoing recovery from the pandemic and commended that the data shows a decrease in delays, emphasizing that everyone in aviation is working together to provide the best possible service to passengers.
The Civil Aviation Authority advises passengers to be aware of their rights to assistance during delays, including entitlement to food and drink, and potentially compensation in certain circumstances if flights are delayed, primarily if the delay exceeds three hours.
Selina Chadha, a director at the CAA, emphasized the industry’s efforts to ensure punctual flights but acknowledged that delays can occur. She stressed the importance of minimizing disruption and compliance with legal obligations to care for passengers in the event of flight disruptions.
