Gatwick named UK's most delayed airport for second year

London Gatwick has once again topped the list of the UK’s most delayed airports, with flights departing an average of over 23 minutes late in 2024, according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data. Although an improvement from nearly 27 minutes the previous year, Gatwick’s delays remain the highest nationwide.

Gatwick, UK's second busiest airport, it's spokesperson said: "Air traffic control restrictions in other parts of Europe have continued to impact the airport. Together with our airlines, we've put in place a robust plan... to improve on-time performance further in 2025."

Air traffic control (ATC) disruptions, both in Europe and within Gatwick’s own control tower, were blamed for the continued setbacks. A spokesperson said staffing issues had been resolved, and steps are underway to improve punctuality in 2025. The airport also avoided disruption over the busy Easter weekend despite a planned strike.

Birmingham and Manchester followed closely with average delays of over 21 and 20 minutes respectively. Meanwhile, Belfast City Airport recorded the best performance, with average delays under 12 minutes.

The Gatwick spokesperson said the airport was "the world's most efficient single-runway airport, with flights departing or arriving every 55 seconds".

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said in February that she was prepared to support Gatwick's expansion plan to bring its emergency runway into routine use, if the project is adjusted.

The trade group AirportsUK highlighted that the industry is still recovering from the pandemic, and praised collaborative efforts across aviation to improve services.

Passengers affected by delays may be entitled to food, drink, or compensation, although ATC issues are typically classified as “extraordinary circumstances,” meaning payouts are often not applicable.

The 10 worst airports for average delays in the UK are:

Gatwick - 24 minutes
Stansted - 20 minutes
Manchester - 20 minutes
Southend - 20 minutes
Birmingham - 20 minutes
Bristol -19 minutes
Cardiff - 19 minutes
Luton - 19 minutes
Heathrow - 18 minutes
Exeter - 18 minutes