“Wizz Air Named Worst Airline for Delays in UK, British Airways Ranks in Top 10”

Wizz Air Identified as Worst Airline for Delays in the UK

According to data released by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Wizz Air has been identified as the worst airline for delays in the UK. The budget airline’s UK departures averaged 31 minutes and 36 seconds behind schedule in 2023, although this was an improvement compared to data from the previous year. In fact, Wizz Air has now recorded the worst punctuality for UK flights three years in a row. Turkish Airlines and Tui followed closely behind as the second and third worst airlines for punctuality in 2023.

British Airways, surprisingly, rounded off the top 10 worst airlines for delays with an average wait of 21 minutes and 36 seconds. This was longer than both EasyJet and Ryanair, highlighting that even established carriers can struggle with delays.

On the other hand, Irish company Emerald Airlines recorded the lowest average delays last year, with an average time of 13 minutes and 6 seconds. Virgin Atlantic ranked second best on delays, averaging 13 minutes and 42 seconds. These figures indicate that some airlines are able to maintain better punctuality records despite the challenges faced by the industry.

Factors Affecting Wizz Air’s Performance

Despite its poor punctuality record in the UK, Wizz Air has seen its passenger numbers soar to a record 62 million in the year to the end of March. This represents an increase of more than a fifth compared to the previous year. The airline has also recorded a pre-tax profit of £290.4 million over the same period. These figures may seem surprising considering the delays experienced by passengers.

Aviation consultant John Strickland explains that Wizz Air has managed to boost passenger numbers due to factors such as being “price competitive” and having the most capacity on many routes serving Central and Eastern Europe. However, he acknowledges that the airline has faced challenges with punctuality, particularly in 2022, when it struggled to operate reliably after COVID-19 travel restrictions eased. Strickland notes that Wizz Air has made efforts to improve its performance by replanning rosters and having more standby aircraft available. However, he cautions that the results of these measures may not be immediately visible.

In response to questions about its delays, a Wizz Air spokesperson stated that the airline had invested over £90 million to stabilize operations and reduce the number of delays. They acknowledged that significant improvements had been made in 2023 but emphasized that there was still work to be done. The spokesperson also highlighted that Wizz Air has the best flight completion rate in Europe, at 99.9 percent, indicating that despite delays, the airline is committed to ensuring customers reach their destinations.

Overall Delays in the UK

The CAA data reveals that the average delay for all flights in the UK was 20 minutes and 42 seconds in 2023, an improvement of over two minutes compared to the previous year. This data encompasses flights from all UK airports and highlights a systemic issue within the airline’s operations. It is worth noting that the analysis considered all scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports by airlines operating more than 2,500 flights and did not include cancelled flights.

British Airways’ Performance

The data also indicates that British Airways cancelled 3.3 percent of its flights less than 24 hours before departure in 2023. Only Loganair performed worse than the British national carrier in this regard, with the excuse of unfavorable strong winds along its flight paths across the Scottish isles. Furthermore, only 61 percent of BA flights that did leave the tarmac landed on time. A BA spokesperson apologized for any disruptions faced by customers during these challenging periods and attributed the issues to factors beyond their control, such as air traffic control industrial action, system outages, and poor weather conditions.

In conclusion, the data released by the CAA highlights the challenges faced by airlines in maintaining punctuality, with Wizz Air identified as the worst airline for delays in the UK. While some carriers, like Emerald Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, have managed to maintain better records, the industry as a whole continues to grapple with delays. Wizz Air’s ability to attract passengers and generate profits despite its delays underscores the importance of factors such as pricing and capacity. The efforts made by airlines, including Wizz Air, to improve punctuality are commendable, but it may take time for the results to become evident. Ultimately, passengers can expect a better travel experience as airlines invest in stabilizing operations and reducing delays.