Being late can be frustrating, especially if it’s being late for a special occasion or something really important like a client meeting. Whilst airports are great in short spells, being stranded there for hours on end is no fun.
If you spend a lot of time travelling by airplane then you will have experienced the frustration of a flight delay and how stressful it can be.
We’ve complied a list of the worst offenders for being late both UK based airlines and international airlines. Thankfully the EU 261 Regulation means that you can get flight delay compensation should an airline let you down.
Worst UK Airline For Lateness
Position 3 – British Airways
Headquarters: United Kingdom
About British Airways
There are airlines based in Britain, and then there’s British Airways. In a class all its own, BA is an official flag carrier of the United Kingdom. This means they’re a national airline which enjoys certain government privileges while also displaying the country’s flag on their airplanes.
British Airways has the second largest fleet in the UK secondary only to Ryan Air. They also carry the second-largest number of passengers annually. They’re based near the main hub of Heathrow Airport where they own approximately 40% of all available slots.
Position 2 – Thomas Cook
Headquarters: United Kingdom
Position 1 – EasyJet
Headquarters: United Kingdom
EasyJet were one of the first low cost UK airlines and started back in 1995 with just two aircraft. Now they operate in over 30 countries and fly 800 routes.
Worst Global Airline For Being Late
So whilst EasyJet may be the worst of the UK airlines on a global scale, they are only the 16th worse.
Based on a review of flight data compiled by FlightStats, 24/7 Wall St. has identified the airlines with the most and least delays. You’ll find that the list seems to be dominated by airlines that operate out of Canada.
Position 18 – Air Canada
Flights delayed: 33.4%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 54,439
Average length of delay: 52.5 minutes
Headquarters: Canada
Position 17 – Korean Air
Flights delayed: 34.9%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 13,130
Average length of delay: 36.6 minutes
Headquarters: South Korea
Position 16 – EasyJet
Flights delayed: 35.1%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 50,558
Average length of delay: 51.8 minutes
Headquarters: United Kingdom
Position 15 – Air Asia
Flights delayed: 35.4%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 15,582
Average length of delay: 45.3 minutes
Headquarters: Malaysia
Position 14 – JetBlue Airways
Flights delayed: 35.9%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 32,720
Average length of delay: 78.5 minutes
Headquarters: United States
Position 13 – LOT Polish Airlines
Flights delayed: 36.4%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 9,577
Average length of delay: 44.1 minutes
Headquarters: Poland
Position 12 – Asiana Airlines
Flights delayed: 36.6%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 8,907
Average length of delay: 42.9 minutes
Headquarters: South Korea
Position 11 – Air Canada Rouge
Flights delayed: 37%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 4,406
Average length of delay: 58.5 minutes
Headquarters: Canada
Position 10 – Ethiopian
Flights delayed: 37.3%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 8,429
Average length of delay: 49.1 minutes
Headquarters: Ethiopia
Position 9 – Jet Airways (India)
Flights delayed: 37.5%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 17,881
Average length of delay: 43.4 minutes
Headquarters: India
Position 8 – NIKI
Flights delayed: 40.3%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 17,881
Average length of delay: 52.1 minutes
Headquarters: Austria
Position 7 – Sky Regional
Flights delayed: 41.4%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 3,835
Average length of delay: 61.1 minutes
Headquarters: Canada
Position 6 – TAP Portugal
Flights delayed: 43.7%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 11,806
Average length of delay: 45.3 minutes
Headquarters: Portugal
Position 5 – Pakistan International Airlines
Flights delayed: 45.8%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 3,412
Average length of delay: 88.3 minutes
Headquarters: Pakistan
Position 4 – Porter Airlines
Flights delayed: 46.5%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 5,318
Average length of delay: 56.1 minutes
Headquarters: Canada
Position 3 – Cathy Pacific
Flights delayed: 48.1%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 8,446
Average length of delay: 62.3 minutes
Headquarters: Hong Kong
Position 2 – Air India
Flights delayed: 49.3%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 13,152
Average length of delay: 50.8 minutes
Headquarters: India
Position 1 – Beijing Capital Airlines
Flights delayed: 52.5%
Number Of Flights in July 2017: 9,797
Average length of delay: 115.9 minutes
Headquarters: China
History of British Airways
British Airways was created after a British Airways Board merged four other airlines. These were the British Overseas Airways Corporation, British European Airways, Cambrian Airways and Northeast Airlines. This merger started in 1972 and was completed on 31 March, 1974, when British Airways debuted to the public. BA was initially state-run but became privatised in 1987 under Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative Government.
Today, their fleet consists of 263 aircraft, pretty much evenly split between Boing and Airbus. Even if you’ve never flown on British Airways, you’re likely familiar with their advertising. The 1989 “Face” campaign is considered a classic in the ad industry.
A World of Travel Awaits
BA is one of the few airlines which provides services to all six inhabited continents. They offer daily service from London to Beijing, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney and more. Daily flights not enough? They offer twice daily flights to Hong Kong and a remarkable 14 daily connections to JFK Airport in New York.
Generally, customers consider BA’s airlines to be clean with a friendly, professional staff. BA also places an emphasis on providing current in-flight entertainment, which can be a life-saver on a long overseas flights.
The Oneworld Alliance
The Oneworld Alliance is a loyalty program shared between many major international airlines. Aside from British Airlines, other member airlines include American Airlines, Air Berlin, Quanta, Cathay Pacific and others. The program was created in 1999 and is still used today by many international frequent fliers.
British Airways delays are relatively rare, compared to others in the industry. But when they occur, passengers can miss international flights. If this has happened to you, check out the link below for information on how you can receive a payout of up to £510 per passenger in compensation from British Airways: